


Valley of the Shadow

by Andromeda_Tano, the_purple_black



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle of Hogwarts, Captured, Death, Death Eaters, Drama, F/M, Murder, Parenthood, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Prisoner of War, Torture, War, hostage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2019-10-25 22:07:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 66,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromeda_Tano/pseuds/Andromeda_Tano, https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_purple_black/pseuds/the_purple_black
Summary: Happy Voldemort Day! Harry Potter is dead! Now, with Harry Potter dead, the resistance begins to crumble as Shadow falls over every witch or wizard, Bellatrix finding it her personal agenda to turn out the Light of her once family.





	1. The Dawn of a New Age

**Author's Note:**

> So, myself and Andromeda_Tano originally started writing this story on another site some time back. However, although this story is still ongoing on that site, there are things that we can't necessarily add there . . . 
> 
> So, this story will, for the majority, be the same as that version. However I'm sure we'll be adding bits in along the way! 
> 
> Please read, enjoy and do let us know what you think! 
> 
> The Purple Black

The castle stood in ruins. The Great Hall that so many students throughout the centuries had discovered the world of magic in its fullest potential, made life long friendships in and arguably spent the best years of their lives in was now unrecognisable. The stone walls were scorched with the evidence of stray spells, the old stone sconces mostly smashed off the wall, leaving nothing but the early morning light seeping through what was left of the glass of the windows. Bodies laid across the floor, some that had been ceremoniously laid out in the small break of battle before the last push, others were . . . less ceremoniously laid. Witches and Wizards from school age to the older generations had fallen in the battle, from both sides, innocence of youth or loyalty was no longer a question as death clearly did not discriminate. The click of heels echoed on the floor, a small piece of rubble skimming across the hall and rebounding off a poor fallen witches shoe, inspiring a childish giggle that rung throughout the hall.

The footsteps stopped, the owner now standing at one of the fallen warrior's feet, a sardonic sigh expelling from her lips "Oh dear . . ." the witch brushed one of her thick dark curls from her face, her heavy-lidded eyes shutting for a moment as she took in the moment before they lit with amusement again "well Weasel, I did warn you now, didn't I?"

"No-one listens, Ma Belle." A hand slipped onto her hip as Bellatrix Lestrange let herself fall back into her husband slightly, giggling in further amusement whilst the man pressed a kiss to the pale skin of her neck.

Bellatrix spun on the spot, instantly wrapping an arm around the man's neck as she gave him a mischievous smirk, pouting with her childish voice "Well you would think that, yet people _still_ try and go against my advice. I mean, I was only trying to help."

"Of course." Rodolphus chuckled, claiming his wife's lips with his own as her body still shook with her now silenced giggles of amusement. She let the man claim her tongue, his hands intertwining in her hair as he slowly tried to direct her further to the wall as if he were ready to make mad and passionate love in the middle of that makeshift mortuary.

It was only as Bellatrix reached her hands up to her husband's chest, pushing gently against him to try and remove her new found attachment that the witch spoke again "Roddy." Bella breathed, rolling her eyes after a few moments of no response to her request as she gripped her hands onto him and surged a small stinging hex through the man. Rodolphus growled as he backed away from the woman, though Bellatrix merely smirked as she walked away from him, stepping over some of the occupied cots of deceased before she made her way to the centre of the room "Our Lord will be back soon, behave."

"We have time." Rodolphus mused, watching Bellatrix jump onto one of the tables and casually walk the length towards the head of the room "Besides, what are you still doing here? Do you not have other responsibilities at home? She'll awaken soon, Bella."

Bella spun around again, her eyes narrowed dangerously at the man for a moment before darting her gaze around the room to make sure they were truly the only living souls within the room. "Delphi is fine." Bellatrix hissed "I instructed the elf to feed her breakfast and watch her if I had not returned when she woke up. Besides, The Dark Lord told all those who found any rebels of import to take them to the Great Hall. Someone has to babysit."

Rodolphus nodded, making his way to Bellatrix as he looked up at her "Though that is why _I_ am here, Bella."

"No." Bellatrix jumped off of the table, glaring at him playfully for a moment before she jumped to sit up on the old wood "I have unfinished business."

"Oh?" Rodolphus raised an eyebrow.

Bellatrix nodded, reaching out and playing with the buttons on Rodolphus' robes "I have a family tree to prune—I was _this_ close! I had the freak and her mutt right in my grasp."

"So you want to see if they find them?" Rodolphus frowned questionably.

"I didn't see them leave . . ." Bella sighed, laying back on the table as she watched the few surviving floating candles hung underneath the clear morning sky "Besides, I enjoy being where the bloodshed is." Another giggle sounded through the great hall as she felt her husbands hand tracing up her leg, kicking out playfully "Later."

"If that's a promise," Rodolphus said, moving his hand away from the amused and sated witch.

A dirty grin appeared on the female Death Eaters lips, sitting up again as she pecked the man on his cheek "I promise nothing." She whispered in his ear, giggling again as her eyes swept over the bodies on the floor. Without warning she shot off the table, skidding to a halt at the body of a young man, smirking cruelly. "Wars fought and lost for the sake of a child," Bellatrix shook her head, pushing the dead boys head with the toe of her boot "pity. Do you think we should stuff him, put him up on display as some sort of warning?"

Rodolphus shook his head at his wife, an amused smirk on his lips as he went to sit on one of the benches. He watched the cogs of his wife's insane mind go round as she presumably tried to decide what would be the most horrific and poetic way to dispose of the bodies. It was only as the sound of the first of the stragglers being taken into the hall came that both Bellatrix and Rodolphus focused their concentration back on their duty.

"Oh." Bella made a small noise as she walked up to her husband, watching her brother-in-law be pulled into the room "Lucius . . ."

"Oh, how the entitled have fallen." Rodolphus rolled his eyes, wincing as Bellatrix sent a hex at him to discreetly silence him before walking up to the worn down Malfoy.

She dismissed the poor snatcher that had dragged him in, staring at him intently until the coast was clear. "Where's Narcissa?" Bellatrix hissed, though the man simply stared back at her, distaste mixed with defeat in the man's eyes "Tell me, Lucius!" Bellatrix yelled.

"She ran off with Draco," Lucius winced "though I believe she's a little behind me on her way in here."

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, pausing for a minute before she spoke again "Idiot." She spat in his face, straightening her back before she turned to look at her husband "Roddy, go find Rab, help him hunt me a play toy."

Rodolphus chuckled, smirking to his wife before he nodded "Any preference?"

"Half-blooded freak if it's on the menu, if not . . ." Bellatrix sighed forlornly "just go have some fun."

Rodolphus walked up behind her, placing a hand on her hip as he pulled her into himself, kissing her neck. "Fine." He growled, "You owe me."

"Yes yes." Bellatrix sighed, tilting her head away from the man before he strode out of the room. The black haired witch didn't seem to move at all, leaving the remaining man in a position of awkward silent anticipation, it was only after at least five more minutes had passed that Bellatrix Lestrange deemed it necessary to pay attention to the events of the room again.

Narcissa Malfoy was no longer her pristine, well-presented self. Her usually sleek long blonde hair was dishevelled, her dress ripped, a purplish coloured bruise was beginning to frame one of her pale blue eyes. The witch struggled to keep her balance as Marshal Avery kept a vice-like grip on her upper arm, he threw her with a cruel smirk, watching her hit the floor before he flitted his gaze to the repressed glare of Bellatrix. Without a word he walked back out in search of more, though Bellatrix did not move. She stared down at the woman, unsure of what to say or do as her youngest sister looked up at her with her innocent ice blue eyes pleading with her in silence. Bellatrix closed the few feet between the two, hesitating for a split second before she knelt down on the floor. Her dark eyes looked over her sister's dishevelled state, the silence hanging heavy in the air.

"Bella—" Narcissa breathed, though quickly stopped as her sister closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"Why?" Bella's voice was barely audible, barely above the sound of a soft breath.

Narcissa swallowed hard, a pained look on her delicate features as he was about to speak, though she was quickly distracted by the sound of her son being dragged into the room. She went to stand, though the surprisingly gentle hand of her sister on her shoulder kept her from getting up. Tears filled her eyes and she bit her lip, her voice cracking in emotional hurts as Narcissa glanced back at Bellatrix. "Bella . . . Please."

Bellatrix looked to her nephew for a moment, considering the boys pathetically broken demeanour before she looked back to her sister "I can't."

"Bellatrix." The cold voice sounded from the entrance of the great hall, sending a chill down the spine of each witch and wizard in the room. The loyal servant soon stood to her feet, backing away from her sister and bowing her head.

"My Lord." Bellatrix purred.

Voldemort looked throughout the room, his eyes pausing for a slight moment on each fallen soldier until he got to that of Harry James Potter. A cold smirk spread across his lips before he walked over to his most faithful servant, his long bony fingers grazing her body until they reached up to stroke the woman's cheek. He took great pleasure in watching Bellatrix's breath hitch in her throat, her whole body humming in anticipation at his slightest touch. A deep chuckle of amusement came from the man before he expelled a long breath.

"Oh Bella," Voldemort sighed, withdrawing his hand "it seems you do not have much luck in the family department. Two members of the Order of fools, a mudblood lover, werewolf, a freak child and now . . . this."

Bellatrix raised her bowed head, looking to the family in front of her. The witch was torn, an internal struggle of what to say or do in her mind, half of her wanting nothing but to celebrate their winning of the war and the other frantically trying to determine what her Lord would do to the last of her family. A gasp sounded from the woman's lips as with one swift move Voldemort waved his hand, rendering the Malfoy's to be bound separately. A small nod from their lord indicated for the Death Eater that had brought the boy in to leave.

"It's a shame." Voldemort mused "This should be a day of celebration; we should be rejoicing . . . yet still we have the few—within _our own_ ranks—that displease me. Pity."

Bella stared at her sister, speaking quietly "My Lord—"

"Hush Bella." Voldemort hissed, making the woman jump slightly before nodding as she bowed away from him slightly. The hall was silent whilst the man considered the witch on the floor, after a few moments he walked over to the blonde witch, stopping mere inches from her face "You knew he was alive, Narcissa Malfoy." Narcissa stared at the floor, not saying a word, though as a strong stinging hex caused her to flatten on the floor in pain she nodded. "I can't hear you." Voldemort hissed.

"Y—Yes, My Lord." Narcissa whimpered, trying to lift herself from the floor only to be flattened again with another hex. The once proud witch resigned herself to keeping her head pressed against the cool stone floor, staring at the feet of the cots mere metres from her.

"Yet you lied to me." Voldemort said "Why, Narcissa? Did you wish to give the boy the upper hand? Did you wish to carry on the battle? Did you wish to put your families and your own life at risk so?"

"I—" Narcissa breathed, trying to gather her strengths before she raised her head slightly, lifting herself from the floor just high enough to see the cold mans red eyes boring into her "I don't know what I was thinking, My Lord."

"You lie." Voldemort hissed, drawing his wand to point it directly at the witch "You were hoping for my defeat. I have been forgiving for your family and their indiscretions, their entire lack of diligence. Yet you wish for my disappearance in hopes of an easier life. The Dark Lord is nothing but merciful, you could have lived a long and happy life under my rule, Narcissa Malfoy. Shame. Avada—"

"My Lord!" Bellatrix shrieked, suddenly bursting back to life as she looked to her sister in horror "Please, My Lord! She is _weak_! She did not know what she was doing, My Lord!"

"You _excuse_ this behaviour, Bellatrix?" Voldemort turned to the crazed witch, venom and shock in each of his words "She would see my downfall, Bellatrix. You commend her behaviour?"

"N—No, My Lord, I would never—"

"Then you agree?" Voldemort asked, storming over to the dark-haired witch as his face lit with anger "You agree with myself?"

"My Lord, please." Bellatrix dropped to her knees, shaking her head "Spare her, I beg of you."

"Spare her?" Voldemort repeated, astonishment in his cold tones.

"Sh—She is naive, stupid, she didn't know what she was doing." Bellatrix cried "For my sake, My Lord. I need her."

"For your sake?" Voldemort repeated in a hushed tone.

"She . . . She helps me—" Bellatrix flickered her gaze to both her nephew and brother-in-law before she dared look back at her master "she helps me care for _her_ . . ."

Lord Voldemort considered the woman, reaching down and running his hand through her hair before he took her hand and raised her to her feet "You have served me well tonight Bellatrix, tonight and all those before it. You are my most faithful . . ."

"Th—Thank you, My Lord." Bellatrix stammered.

"I was ready to reward you for your service . . ." Voldemort sighed, walking around the woman as he stopped behind her, his cold voice barely audible in her ear "instead I will do you a kindness. They all must pay Bella, surely you see this." Voldemort smirked as his servant nodded loyally "Good . . . Though they all must pay for their failure . . . I will kill but one . . . Choose which one, Bellatrix . . . You may do the honours."

"Bella, please!" Narcissa cried "Let me die! It was my failure. I did it to save them, Bella. Please—"

"Silence!" Voldemort snapped, throwing a mild curse at the woman, watching as she writhed in pain for a few moments before releasing it again "Bellatrix, this is your choice . . ."

Bellatrix closed her eyes, not wanting to see her sobbing mess of a sister. She knew her choice; she also knew her sister would hate her for it. But she knew her choice. She kept her eyes sealed tightly shut, her hand fingering the wood of her wand before she drew it from her holster. Her arm raised as if on its own, pointing to its target ready to kill as it had so many times before, she didn't look. Bellatrix shuddered as she felt the hand of her master on her shoulder, the hiss of his voice in her ear "Do it, Bellatrix. Now."

"Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix cried, listening to the dull thud of a body hitting the floor.

She felt dizzy, the screech of tormented heartbreak filling the room as she swayed on the spot before taking a deep breath and opening her eyes again. Narcissa Malfoy was already a blubbering mess, shaking in her hysterics as all ideals of how to compose ones self in public was thrown out of the window. Draco Malfoy stared at the spot where his father had fallen, not being able to pull his gaze away from the crumpled heap of the once strong and powerful man.

"Go home, Bellatrix." Voldemort whispered in her ear "Go care for Delphini."

Bellatrix nodded, her expression blank as she watched her mess of a sister "Yes, My Lord."

"I will not kill them, as I have said I am a merciful Lord." Voldemort said, "Though they will not leave here unharmed."

"Y—Yes, My Lord," Bellatrix repeated in a monotone voice.

"You are banned from the dungeons until further notice, Bellatrix." Voldemort stated "Now go, your husband and his brother are already back at the manor waiting for you. They seemed to be having far too much fun destroying parts of the castle. We must rebuild now, for a better tomorrow—a new age."

"Yes, My Lord," Bellatrix repeated, hesitating for a second before she took one last glance at her remaining family and walked towards the exit of the school, deciding to walk to the boundaries of the school before she disapparated. She was glad for the air, for the space to breathe, though as she walked the grounds and could only hear the distant screams of agony of her youngest sister her resolve failed. The dark witch stopped, turning to take one last look at the castle before she turned on the spot and left the madness to return to her innocent child back at the manor as instructed by her lord. She was nothing but faithful, no matter the cost to her family, her happiness nor her sanity.


	2. Rebel Roundup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And of course we must bring Dora and Remus into this mess. :D
> 
> I hope you all enjoy these characters, as you'll be seeing far too much of them. Most of them.
> 
> Andromeda_Tano

 

"Come on, Dora," Remus breathed as he helped her down the street toward the Tonks' house. "It isn't that far."

"We should have apparated closer," she groaned, grateful for his supporting arm. "It's taken us too long."

"It was too dangerous to be any closer to the house," Remus replied softly, though he guided his wife along the street cautiously, his eyes darting all about the place nervously. "Just a little further, Dora."

The young, injured witch gasped as she stumbled, the man catching her immediately and holding her close. "Dora," he murmured softly, "you can't walk."

Dora screwed her eyes shut, refusing to admit defeat. "I can do it," she hissed between her teeth, though in the next instant, she was as light as a feather, her husband lifting her into his arms. "Remus!" she half shrieked, though he ignored her indignation as he carried her the last few yards to their home.

The door opened, Nymphadora's mother standing there worriedly as he carried her into the house and placed her on the couch. "Oh, Dora!" Andromeda breathed in concern. "What happened to her? What happened in the battle?"

"Harry—" Remus began, but turned away from the witch, covering his face with his hands.

"Mum," Nymphadora began, her eyes filling with tears, "everyone's dead. The Dark Lord killed Harry, and—most of our friends are dead, or captured and will be killed soon. There was so much carnage—it was awful!"

"Andromeda, Dora's injured, obviously," Remus said, forcing himself to remain as calm as possible as he paced the floor. "If you could help her, please."

Andromeda pointed her wand at her daughter, beginning to investigate the girl's injuries. "Not too bad, but debilitating," she said. "It will take some time to heal."

Dora moved to sit up, but her mother pushed her back down onto the couch. "Stay," Andromeda ordered her.

"But—Teddy!" Nymphadora protested. "Is he okay?"

"He is fine," Andromeda promised. "Now, unless you want that curse to hurt you further, for Merlin's sake lie down and  _hold still_."

"It's bad," Dora whispered, tensing as her mother touched her wand to her shoulder. "Bellatrix almost got me."

"She did well enough," Remus half growled at her. "I told you to stay home!"

Nymphadora clenched her fists, punching the couch in her frustration. "I am a warrior! I must fight for my family, Remus. I can stay home from war no more than you can."

Remus stopped pacing to stare down at her. "I don't want Teddy to be an orphan, Nymphadora. It is my duty to protect you and our son, and I will do what I must."

"They'll be after us again soon," Nymphadora breathed, trying not to cry out as her mother attempted to reverse the curse on her. "We can't be safe—"

"Dora, they haven't looked here in a year," Andromeda shook her head. "Don't borrow trouble."

"It doesn't mean they won't," Remus agreed with his wife. "That's why we've got to be careful, Dora."

"I try," Dora sighed, motioning for him to come to her side.

He walked over and knelt down beside her, clasping her hand in his. "Dora, I can't lose you," he murmured, raising her hand to his lips and kissing her fingers. "Teddy can't lose us."

Dora reached up and pulled him down so she could kiss his lips. "He won't," she whispered earnestly as he stared down into her brown eyes. "We'll be fine."

* * *

The Lupins and Andromeda continued to stay alert for attacks, though Remus made sure that Nymphadora rested to heal from her injuries. The three adults were nervous, Teddy often irritable because of the unrest he sensed in their home. Remus and Nymphadora took turns staying up with their baby boy when he wouldn't calm down and sleep.

One evening as Dora was trying to get Teddy to fall asleep, Andromeda came rushing up the stairs as Remus came running down the hall, both reaching the nursery at the same time. "Dora, they're here!" Andromeda said sharply, and Remus blocked the doorway.

"Stay with Teddy!"

"No!" Dora half yelled. She placed a sleeping spell on the child, kissing his head before reaching to place him in his cot.

"Nymphadora," Remus said firmly, "you've got to protect him."

"I will—at your side," Nymphadora retorted. "Come on."

Remus grabbed her by the shoulders, and she looked up, seeing the frustrated, worried look on his face. "Dora," he said, his voice deathly quiet, "please."

Andromeda turned as she heard the sounds of crashing from downstairs. "We're going to need her, Remus," she said quietly. "There's at least three of them."

"Remus," Dora breathed, pressing her lips to his for the slightly of moments. "I'm sorry. Let's bury some Death Eaters."

He was about to reply when all three of them turned at the feeling of the wards disintegrating. "Dromeda," Remus said in shock, and Andromeda growled, her wand in her hand.

"Time to move," she hissed, leading the way down the hall, her daughter and son-in-law immediately at her side.

They were on the staircase when they saw the Death Eaters, the two Order members shocked to realise that they no longer wore masks. "Nymphie!" called the one, an awful-looking blue spell flying from the tip of his wand. "Miss us?

"Terribly," she smirked, sending spells flying at him and the other closest Death Eater. "Can't stay away, Rabastan?"

"Well, now that you mention it," the wizard laughed, "I'm sure you'd be a little fun."

"Little fun?" the Death Eater with the twisted face smirked. "All night fun, that bitch."

"Bellatrix would be upset if you ruined her toy," Rodolphus warned the two laughing Death Eaters as the three approached them from the stairs.

The fourth wizard scowled. "She's got enough of those," he said.

The brown-haired witch opposite him smirked. "She wants us, does she? Is that why you're here?"

"Well, Bella special-ordered Nymphie by reminding her Master of her powers," Rabastan shrugged. "Though why he forgot Nymphie can morph is beyond me..."

"Well, if you had Bella," Dolohov grinned, and Rabastan laughed with him, Avery joining in. Rodolphus looked distinctly unhappy, his spells carrying more fire as he attacked Andromeda, drawing her away from the others.

Dora and Remus fought side by side, taking on Rabastan and Dolohov. After a moment, Rabastan yelled, "Hey, we're not supposed to kill them, idiot!" as a Killing Curse flew past Remus' head. "Though I'm sure Bella would care the least about losing  _him_."

"You think," Andromeda laughed at the younger Lestrange. "I suggest you follow her orders perfectly no matter her preference."

"Mother, don't encourage him!" Dora yelped, diving out of the way of a purple curse, Remus covering for her as she got to her feet.

"Andromeda," Rodolphus said coolly, staring her in the face as he calmly dueled, moving around the sitting room as Andromeda refused to stay in one spot.

It was only when Nymphadora screeched in horror that Andromeda felt a spell hit her full in the back, the witch collapsing to the floor, struck from both directions with a curse. She held back a shriek of pain, feeling her wand slip from her fingers as someone disarmed her. Andromeda writhed in pain, holding back a scream when hands grabbed her, a  _Crucio_  tearing through her body.

The Death Eater chuckled, and Andromeda knew it was Dolohov. "Well, if you can't play with the freak," he said to Rabastan and Avery, "this one would suffice. Though as the castoff of a Mudblood..." He grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head back and smirking into her eyes. "Do you still do all the naughty things some pureblood witches do, Andy?"

" _Go. To. Hell,_ " she hissed between her teeth as she glared up at him in rage.

"No, no," he murmured, Andromeda shrinking away as he leaned closer. "Don't be like that..." Dolohov smirked, resting a hand on the witch's hip as he tightened his grip on her hair to pull her back into an unnatural position. "You should surrender before your mother gets hurt, Nymphie."

"He—he can't," Andromeda groaned with pain. "They have to follow Bella's orders, or the Dark Lord will be furious with them—" She writhed in pain, finding herself half on the man's lap as he wrapped his arm around her torso and grinned as she struggled against his bold touch.

"Stop!" came an excited voice. "Stop, or the child dies!"

They all looked up, seeing Rabastan on the stairs, Remus and Nymphadora's baby boy in the Death Eater's arms. "Teddy!" Dora cried, and Remus just blocked a spell meant for her. "No, leave him alone!"

Andromeda stared, cringing in horror as Dolohov paused thoughtfully for a moment, looking up at Rabastan and the child. "Never thought you'd be like that," he said. "Threatening children! You've been around Bella too much."

"It's Rod that doesn't like that," the younger Lestrange corrected, rolling his eyes. "I—well, I do what I have to. So,  _Nymphie_. Is it worth the life of your brat to defy us? To defy the Dark Lord?"

"Dora," Remus said, grabbing her arm when she went to attack Rodolphus once again. "Dora...don't."

"Remus!" she hissed, yanking her arm away.

Rabastan shrugged, taking the sleeping charm off the child. Teddy woke and immediately began to cry, seeing the strange people in the room, his mother looking in fright from person to person, his grandmother almost crying with pain on the floor. "I forgot how much I hate these things," Rabastan said in disgust, looking down at the baby. "Drop your wands," he told the two Order members. "Before I shut this thing up. Loud little thing."

Dora numbly released her wand, hearing it clatter to the floor, Remus reaching out to her hand as he did the same. He squeezed her hand reassuringly just before the two Lestranges bound them separately, Dolohov still watching in amusement. The two other adults were shocked as Dolohov suddenly yelled out in agony, Andromeda shrieking with laughter for a moment before she screeched in pain under the man's curses, writhing in his grasp.

"Get a magical restraint on her," Dolohov ordered, his face lit with rage as he slapped the witch across the face, immediately leaving a mark on her cheek. "She seems to remember the old ways better than most filth like her."

"Teddy," Dora whispered, seeing Rabastan moving to put the child down on the couch. "Please. Let me take him. Please."

"Hell no," Rabastan said in alarm. "The last thing we need is another baby at Malfoy Manor."

"Take him," came Rodolphus' cold voice. "Or give him to his mother. Having the child with us will make her more...willing."

Nymphadora stared at the man in growing fear as she sensed the level of depravity and Darkness in him. She took Teddy into her arms, tears immediately coming to her eyes as she cradled him as well as she could in her bonds. "Shhh," she whispered to the child, trying to bounce him gently as Rodolphus smirked at her.

"Your child is powerful, Nymphadora," Rodolphus said, glancing at Dolohov, who carelessly flicked his wand to enervate Avery. "He will be useful."

"You will not use my son," Nymphadora hissed. "I won't let you."

"Nymphie," Rabastan smirked. "I can promise you that your family members will all serve very, very valuable purposes. Except maybe Andromeda. Merlin knows what she's good for."

Dolohov chuckled, half supporting Andromeda as he dragged her to her feet. "Not much," he agreed. "Though that's women for you. One purpose."

Rodolphus grabbed Nymphadora by the elbow. "Let's go." He disapparated before all of them, the other Death Eaters following with the rest of the prisoners.


	3. Malfoy Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read our story and left kudos or comments so far! Please do leave a comment and let us know what you think of this latest chapter and enjoy :)

As they hit the ground outside of the grand gates of Malfoy Manor Nymphadora couldn't help the small shudder that ripped through her. She tried to adjust her hold on the one-month-old currently whimpering in her arms, wincing as she felt the pointed end of a wand dug into her back. She tried to shush him, though the bonds around her upper arms were far too constricting to be able to comfort him properly.

"Don't try anything." Rodolphus murmured, flicking his wand as the bonds were dropped on the woman before instantly jabbing the wood back into her back.

Dora sighed in relief for a moment, pulling the child up to her chest properly and kissing his pale blue tuft of hair as he gripped his small fist around his mother's necklace. As three more cracks of apparation sounded around her Dora winced as Rodolphus grabbed her upper arm.

"Come on," Dolohov growled, presenting his dark mark to the gates before he dragged Andromeda through, the woman hissing at his rough handling of her.

The three captives were marched up the long driveway, the daunting structure of Malfoy Manor slowly looming into full view. It was a magnificent manor, one that most likely looked beautiful at one point in its life though once you digested the evil and fear that clearly now run the place it seemed to lose all aspects of beauty. Dark magic was humming through the air, blanketing the entire grounds with a feeling of cold unyielding evil. Nymphadora yelled as she was pushed towards the steps, almost falling flat on her face before she was pulled to her feet by her captor. Remus struggled against Avery's grasp before a dark curse was forced through his body, the man falling to his knees at the top of the steps.

"Remus!" Dora cried, holding back a cry as Teddy whimpered in her arms.

"Dora." Andromeda took a deep breath "Show no weakness."

Dolohov chuckled as they entered through the main doors, each of them stopping for a moment. Dolohov turned Andromeda in his grasp, his evil smirk mere inches from her own defiant features "You think such things will help you now?"

Andromeda narrowed her eyes before wrinkling her nose in disgust "Your breath smells like rot. No toothbrushes in Azkaban?"

"How about we send you there and you can find out for yourself?" Dolohov sneered.

"Now now, children." Rabastan laughed, the only man free of a prisoner twirling his wand between his fingers before he looked to his brother "Where does Bella want them?"

Rodolphus rolled his eyes "In the meeting room, Rabastan. They're to be brought there to wait for The Dark Lord, though I'm sure Bella is already waiting for them, you know this."

"Fiiiine." Rabastan pouted, his eyes settling on the young witch in his brothers grasp "You sure we haven't got time to play first?" Nymphadora glared furiously, her hair turning bright red "Oh, that glare." Rabastan whistled "I think it's hereditary."

"No, Rabastan." Rodolphus hissed, leading the group down the corridor towards the meeting room.

"No fun." Rabastan rolled his eyes before he followed his brother.

"Bella has enough play toys already," Avery smirked "surely she can share? Oi!" Avery growled as Remus kicked back into his shin "Down boy! Bad dog!"

The men laughed, Rabastan storming ahead as he reached the doors to the meeting room. Remus looked to his wife, deep concern in his eyes as he watched her straighten her back, cradling their innocent son in her arms. Andromeda caught his eye across the witch, making a small attempt at a reassuring look before she looked towards the now slowly opening large doors opening before them. The room was cold, not cold in terms of temperature but cold in such darker and more disturbing ways. The grand room stood at least a few stories tall, the entirety of the humble Tonks home would have most likely fit in the one marble lined room—merely one of the grand chandeliers would have struggled to have fit in the kitchen of their home. Though all of this paled in the grasping of the three captives attention, all of them were gazing at the witch at the head of the table.

Bellatrix Lestrange was leant across the arms of the high backed chair, her eyes closed as her legs swayed playfully over the edge, seemingly either unaware or unbothered by the new presence in the room. Rodolphus shook his head in amusement, letting go of Nymphadora's arm and walking over to his wife. Dora's eyes instantly flickered around, trying to decipher if she could steal a wand to get her and her son out of there at the least—though as a pair of hands rested on her hips, a wand pressing into her stomach, her hopes of escape were dashed. She could feel the silent chuckle of Rabastan Lestrange on her bare neck, shuddering as she tried to move away.

"Ma Belle," Rodolphus smirked as he reached the head of the table, reaching out and stroking Bella's arm.

"Roddy . . ." Bella purred "I can assume you were successful, or else I severely underestimated your stupidity."

"Open your eyes and see for yourself, Bella." Rodolphus laughed, pulling on his wife's hand until she was sat up straight.

Bellatrix's gaze lazily wandered over to the two order members and her once sister, each of them attempting their most defiant glares simultaneously. The dark witch burst into hysterical laughter, grabbing onto her husband's shoulder as she jumped off of the chair. She pressed her body into his own as she pressed a firm kiss to his lips before sighing happily when she finally pulled away for air "Oh Roddy," she spoke in her infamous childlike voice "it isn't even my birthday."

"Ergh." Rabastan shuddered, resting his head on Nymphadora's shoulder as he watched his brother and sister-in-law "Disgusting." The man frowned as Teddy reached up for his lip, snapping his teeth at the boy "Bad mutt."

"Get away from my wife, Lestrange," Remus growled, struggling against Avery's grasp yet again.

Bellatrix laughed, her shrill cold tones echoing off of the cold walls of the room "She's _my_ play toy, Rab." Bellatrix pouted as she slowly walked towards the group.

"Oh but you can share, can't you?" Rabastan pouted back at her.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, a filthy smirk on her lips "She's mine first . . . maybe if she misbehaves."

"Oh she's got Black blood—no matter how sullied—she's bound to misbehave." Rabastan grinned.

"What do you want us to do with these two?" Dolohov asked, clearly getting bored.

"Drop them." Bellatrix grinned, not breaking her now established eye contact with her estranged niece. A small huff of laughter left her lips as she heard her once sister and the werewolf hit the floor simultaneously with a harsh shove. "Stop _drooling_ Rabastan, it's unsightly."

"I am not _drooling_." Rabastan huffed, letting go of the girl as Bellatrix slowly walked closer to her.

"Bellatrix!" Andromeda snapped from her spot on the floor, glaring up at Bellatrix.

Bella shook her head in amusement before she slowly turned, tilting her head to the side as she looked to Andromeda "What? Want to beg for your freak child's life? Well I don't want her _dead_ , so you don't need to worry. The dead don't scream when you Crucio them—believe me, I would know."

"Bellatrix you are _not_ angry at her!" Andromeda yelled, a firm look in her dark eyes.

"Who said I was angry at anyone?" Bella frowned for a moment before the evil grin filled her face again "Does this face look angry? I'm perfectly happy, _jubilant_ in fact."

"Do not take out what I have done to you on my daughter." Andromeda narrowed her eyes.

"Oh?" Bellatrix raised an eyebrow "How about I take it out on what I assume is your grandson?"

"No!" Nymphadora and Remus yelled simultaneously, making the witch laugh again.

"Bella—"

"Silencio." Bellatrix yawned, ignoring the furious glare of her once sister as she turned to look to Rodolphus "Have you summoned him?"

"Yes." Rodolphus nodded.

"Goodie!" Bellatrix clapped before she turned her gaze back to Dora, a mock pout forming on her lips as she looked to the small child clasping at his mother's robes "Oh dear." Bellatrix smirked as Nymphadora tried to back away only to be stopped by Rodolphus coming up behind her this time " _This_ sort of thing needs to be outlawed, you know." Bellatrix shuddered "Half-blood freak half-mutt. How does that even work, hmm?" Bellatrix reached out, her finger trailing down the side of Teddy Lupin's arm as Rodolphus grasped tightly onto each of Nymphadora's arms to stop her from moving.

"Bellatrix?" Rodolphus breathed so quietly that surely only the three of them could hear. He waited for Bellatrix to raise her heavy-lidded eyes up to the man before he spoke again "Perhaps give the brat to his father."

"Why would I do that?" Bellatrix hissed.

"Because, Ma Belle, you can't play with a child in the way," Rodolphus said.

"Well, I could just kill the child." Bellatrix giggled at the flash of fear on Nymphadora's face before she sighed at her husband "Yes yes, I know what you're thinking Rodolphus. Let go of my toy and move the child." Bellatrix huffed "I suggest you comply, Nymphie, or else I'll be more inclined to let the child drop to the floor."

Nymphadora gritted her teeth, letting Rodolphus turn her around to face himself. The man stared down at her for a split second before holding his arms out and waiting for the witch to place Teddy in his arms. Dora watched the man walk over to Remus, unbinding the wizard as he leant down to place the boy in his father's arms. Suddenly Nymphadora let out a hiss of pain, a sharp sensation of a heated numb pain filling her back as another arm wrapped itself around her chest, the tickling sensation of wild black hair on her cheek. " **Crucio**." Bellatrix hissed, licking her lips in delight as she had to tighten her grip to keep the now white-haired witch on her feet "Shhh, darling." Bella kissed the girl's cheek, intensifying the curse "Auntie Bella's got you. Shhh, it's okay." Bella giggled, twisting her wand as she focused the curse to surge through her chest. The girl let out a blood-curdling scream, unable to keep herself silent anymore as she grasped onto her Aunts arm on her chest, digging her nails into her flesh as she tried to pull her off for some sort of relief. Screams soon mingled with the cries of the baby, Bellatrix groaning in pleasure at the sound of her niece as she pressed her forehead to the back of her head.

"Bellatrix." The cool voice came from the doorway, barely audible over the screams yet still Bellatrix heard the call of her master and stopped her torture instantly. She finally let Nymphadora drop to the floor as she turned to face her master, each of the five Death Eaters in the room instantly dropping to the floor in a bow with murmurs of 'my lord'. "Oh Bella," Lord Voldemort chuckled as he approached the black haired witch, reaching his hand out as he pulled her from the floor, a cold smirk on his lips as his eyes flickered to the shaking witch on the floor then back to his servant in front of him "couldn't wait, could we?" Bellatrix bit her lip to attempt to hide some of the dirty grin on her lips, though her master simply smirked at her again before he waved his arm to the rest of the Death Eaters in the room "Leave us, men. Wait outside." The men simultaneously bowed their heads before leaving the room, not a single word being said nor a move being made until the doors closed behind them. "Bella?"

"Yes, My Lord?" Bella giggled as her master moved around her to stare at the witch that was currently laid flat on the floor on her back, her eyes screwed shut and her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breath.

"Did you use one of your own curses on the poor girl?" Voldemort asked, watching the sporadic twitches of the white-haired woman with curiosity.

"Perhaps, My Lord." Bellatrix grinned.

"As much as I commend you for your expert spell work," Voldemort paused as the witch giggled "she can hardly speak coherently with whatever manner of dark magic you have inflicted on her making her flail like some poor fish out of water, can she? Lift it."

Bellatrix pouted before sighing deeply and walking over to the girl, kneeling next to her as she grabbed her hair roughly in one hand "Stay still." Bellatrix hissed as Nymphadora tried to turn away from the woman only to have her head slammed back into the floor.

"Oh!" Nymphadora gasped, biting down hard on her lip as Bellatrix drew her wand down her body to untwine the dark magic working in her. The girls eyes snapped open when the witch was done, staring into her heavily lidded eyes as the Death Eater smirked back at her.

"I'll get you back later." Bellatrix shrugged, standing up and walking back to sit on the edge of the table, her eyes wandering to Andromeda pressing her head to the floor as she fought back tears. Bella smirked.

"Nymphadora," Voldemort said, watching as the witch forced herself to get up off of the floor. She bit down hard as she forced herself to stand, staring the evil man straight in the eyes. "I have to admit, I have been looking forward to meeting you." Voldemort smirked, looking around to Andromeda, Remus and Teddy "And the rest of your family, how delightful."

"Leave them alone," Nymphadora spoke through gritted teeth, clenching her fists at her sides.

"You have fight in you." Voldemort laughed "I see a lot of your Aunt in you . . ."

"I am nothing like her!" Nymphadora snapped, not noticing the look of annoyed confusion as Bellatrix stopped herself shouting the same thing just in time.

"Hmm," Voldemort mused, staring down at Teddy Lupin for a moment longer before he looked back to Nymphadora "I have a proposition for you, Nymphadora . . . Join me."

"Never." Dora hissed, her hair soon flaming into a bright red.

Voldemort sighed, drawing his wand "You see, Nymphadora, I do not believe you have much choice in the matter." He walked over to Remus, Nymphadora watching him intently "You are a powerful young witch, a metamorphmagus, Black blood, clearly an experienced and talented duellist if you managed to thwart dear Bella from your trail in the battle as I am told. It will also help me to have an Order member or two on my side to help pull the last of the rebel's either on side or simply to extinguish the filth. Now, this is your son, correct?" Voldemort raised an eyebrow at the witch as he pointed his wand at the head of her young son, the witch going to move towards the boy before Bellatrix hexed her back into place. "Answer me when I ask you a question, Nymphadora. It is only polite."

Nymphadora swallowed, her eyes never leaving her husband cradling their son protectively in his arms "Y—Yes."

"Good." Voldemort smirked "Now, you will join me—or you will watch your son die, then you will watch your husband die, then you will watch your mother die. I will, of course, let Bellatrix carry out the honours in her beautifully artistic ways—and then you will die in great agony. Would you prefer that?" Voldemort raised an eyebrow at the witch.

"D—Dora." Remus stuttered, looking at Dora from the floor, defeat in the older man's eyes "It's okay. We have to protect him . . ."

Nymphadora bit her lip, tears filling her big brown eyes as she watched the pair before looking to her mother (the woman still refusing to look or move at anyone), when she finally looked back to Voldemort "T—Teddy stays safe—and mum and Remus."

"Of course." Voldemort nodded "I am a merciful lord. You do as you are told and your family remain safe. Bellatrix will train you—though I can tell you I cannot guarantee your comfort or safety with that front—her methods are unorthodox though they work . . . besides she has earned the 'play toy' she has been asking for for oh so long."

Nymphadora couldn't help but shudder, ignoring the look of her mother silently screaming in protest from the corner of her eye "Y—You don't hurt my family— _no-one_ hurts my family."

Voldemort smirked, "Of course."

Dora screwed her eyes shut, not wanting to see any of the reactions of the room as she forced herself to nod "F—Fine."

"Beautiful." Voldemort laughed coldly, summoning the boys back into the room "Take them to the dungeons for now. Nymphadora, I need Bellatrix for tonight but I'm sure she will be with you bright and early in the morning to begin your training. You will earn your mark by the month's end." Without another word Voldemort walked over to Bellatrix, taking her hand as she giggled insanely before the two of them disappeared in a puff of black smoke. The young metamorphmagus barely struggled as she and her family were taken down to the dungeons, Rodolphus holding her back as Andromeda, Remus and Teddy were taken in before her.

"Nymphie." Rodolphus snapped, reaching out his hand and summoning an old bassinette and handing it to the young witch. She frowned, looking down at the pink trim and not only wondering why Rodolphus was doing her this favour but why there was a pink bassinette in Malfoy Manor. "You work on the condition your family is safe—a newborn babe cannot sleep on the floor and sleep safely. Go."

Nymphadora nodded, taking a deep breath as she watched the boys opening the main door of the dungeons ahead of her. She couldn't help but wondering if she had agreed to a fate worse than death, though it was for Teddy. Nymphadora Lupin would sell her soul to the devil himself for the safety of her child, though it seemed like she already had.


	4. Reunion in an Unlikely Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was actually written by Andromeda_Tano however her laptop has gone to the great technology graveyard but we still wanted to update this for you! 
> 
> Here's her original authors note for this chapter (what honestly seems like forever ago): 
> 
> "This chapter was fun to write, as I love my Andromeda scenes. :D I really enjoyed her interaction with...some of the other characters too. Hahaha
> 
> Do enjoy this chapter, and leave a review if you have a second! Thanks!"

Some of the Death Eaters were laughing among themselves as they marched their prisoners down to the dungeons, though Andromeda grasped onto Dolohov when he attempted to shove her down the steps, nearly causing him to fall as well. "Bitch," he hissed at her, planting a slap across her face as Rabastan outright laughed at him.

Andromeda motioned to her mouth, her face betraying no discomfort as he smirked, pretending to misunderstand her. She shied away from him, her eyes boring into his. "Unsilence her," Rabastan sighed, rolling his eyes at the man. "She needs to be able to speak meaningless words of comfort to her soon-to-be Death Eater brat."

Dolohov chuckled, though turned to Andromeda, pulling her closer as he took the charm off of her. "If I ever find special favour with the Dark Lord," he smirked at her, "you will be the first thing I ask for."

Andromeda gave him her best look of pureblood disdain as she drew herself up to speak. "You fall far short of any such hopes, Antonin."

He merely grinned evily, pushing her toward the steps, and she led the way into the dungeons, Remus following with Teddy, Nymphadora out of sight behind them. Nymphadora came down the steps moments later, looking slightly confused as she held a small pink bassinette in her hands. "What...is that?" Andromeda said before shaking her head. "Why do you have that _here?_ "

"The older Lestrange gave it to me," Dora muttered. "Said we couldn't let a newborn sleep on the dungeon floor."

"He's gone soft in his old age?" Remus couldn't help joking, though no one smiled.

"Not at all," Andromeda sighed. "He has a weakness for children, though it will be of no use to us, only to Teddy."

The three tried to look around the room, though none of them could see much through the darkness, their eyes having to get used to the almost complete lack of light. "It's just a huge, stone room," Dora sighed. "I've been here before—well, I think I have. It's lighter than I remember, though that may be because I had a blindness spell on me..."

She jumped in shock as her husband wrapped his arm around her comfortingly. "We're in this together," he said softly, Dora looking up at him, still unable to see his face.

"But...Remus," Dora breathed, "whatever they ask me to do—I must do it, for Teddy's sake, and for yours?"

"For Teddy, you must," Remus said quietly. "But Dora, if it's me, don't bend."

"Remus," Dora sighed, "you know I won't let anything happen to you if I can help it—" she gasped in shock, realising they weren't alone. "Who's there?" she demanded of the darkness.

"What other unfortunate souls lie imprisoned in the shadows?" Andromeda scoffed, and Nymphadora shuddered.

"Mum, don't talk like that," she said. "Ergh. You sound like Bellatrix."

Andromeda sighed. "No, she'd sing it, and add something more distasteful."

Nymphadora gasped in shock, able to see the outline of someone standing a few feet from her and Remus. "It can't be," she muttered. "Draco?"

The two stared at him, Andromeda following their voices until she bumped into Nymphadora, making the girl yelp in surprise. "Sorry," the older witch said quickly, turning to see the young man. "Since when did you make your bed in the dungeons, young Malfoy?"

Draco shuddered. "Bellatrix murdered my father after the battle," he said, his voice unsteady. "Mum lied to the Dark Lord during the two hour period, and he was furious. He's half murdered her—"

"Draco," Andromeda breathed, realising who the person on the floor behind the boy was. "You and your mother are prisoners in your own home?"

"No," Draco said quickly, then shuddered. "Yes. Can—can you see if you can help Mum? She won't talk, and I'm afraid she'll die too—"

"Of course," Andromeda nodded immediately, following the young man to his mother's side. "Cissa," she breathed in horror, only vaguely being able to see the crusted blood on the witch, her torn robes and her dirty hair. "Oh dear Merlin—"

Nymphadora and Remus watched, though they stayed back, wondering what had possessed Narcissa Malfoy to put her family in such an awful situation. "Narcissa?" Andromeda asked hesitantly, touching the witch's am and hoping that her once sister wasn't too awfully hurt.

The blonde witch struggled to turn her head to see who was talking to her and froze in horror, her eyes widening before she turned her head away again, refusing to look at her.

Andromeda glared down at her sister. "You simply can't be serious to ignore me after all that's happened now and all that has happened to your family!" she stormed. "Surely if Bellatrix has written us both off you can at least _look at me_!"

Draco took his mother's other hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "Mum, please," he asked her so quietly that only she and Andromeda could hear. "Please let her help if she can. For my sake, if nothing else."

When Narcissa turned back to the older witch, Andromeda saw tears trickling down her sister's face. "Sorry," Narcissa choked before her body seized in pain, the witch clenching her fists as she fought the pain.

"Cissa," Andromeda breathed, "I'm going to see if I can help you. If I hurt you, I don't mean to." The witch didn't reply, and Andromeda touched her hand to her sister's arm again, allowing her magic to test whatever Dark magic was working on the witch. "I don't know if I can do this wandlessly," Andromeda bit her lip.

"Mother, the restraints," Nymphadora said warningly.

"I had Dolohov take them off," Andromeda replied. "He...likes me."

Draco looked slightly disturbed, though focused on his mother as Andromeda looked back down at the witch. "They are debilitating," she sighed. "Brilliant spells, really."

The boy glared at her. "Just help her!"

Narcissa squeezed her son's hand weakly and he looked down at their hands, his blonde hair falling into his face. "Dromeda," Narcissa breathed, looking up at the witch as she struggled to make herself heard, "if you can, I'd be—grateful."

Andromeda nodded, closing her eyes as her hands hovered an inch or two above the injured woman's head. She allowed the feeling of the magic to guide her as she worked cautiously, worried that her lack of practise would cause her to harm her sister. She heard the witch groan softly, though she didn't look up, continuing to even out the magics that were coursing through Narcissa's body. Andromeda took a deep breath, beginning to draw the Dark magic from the witch's system and diffuse it into the earth.

"Shh," she said softly, hearing the witch take a breath and realising that her sister was crying again. "You'll be okay...just let me finish. I'm almost done."

No one spoke until Andromeda sat back with a sigh, watching her sister in concern. The blonde witch moved her arm, tensing for a moment before she tried to sit up. Draco reached out to stop her, but Andromeda slipped her arm around her sister and drew her to lean on her. "I'm sorry," Andromeda breathed into the witch's blonde hair. "I shouldn't have abandoned you to Bellatrix and her insanity."

Narcissa sniffed. "Don't—don't say things about her that you don't understand," she said. "She's had terrible experiences...you can't blame her for a lot of it."

"I can, and will," Andromeda said sternly. "She decided to become what she did, became obsessed with the Dark Lord—"

"Dromeda!" Narcissa cried, grasping her by her sleeve. "Hush! You don't know what you're saying! You will be killed for speaking against her, against them. He chose Bellatrix to serve the most honourable purpose, in her eyes."

"Which would be?" Nymphadora scoffed. "The insane torturer and madwoman that sickeningly fawns over her _master_?"

"You will call him master," Narcissa hissed as she shifted and jumped at the residual pain. "Though I do hope you will not mother his child!"

Andromeda stared down at Narcissa, the blonde witch's eyes clouding for a moment before she buried her face in Andromeda's dress. "Narcissa, what did you just say?" Andromeda whispered in horror. "Bella...she didn't—"

Narcissa was cringing, hiding her face from the others. "I wasn't to speak of it," she whimpered. "The child—Bella used her as an excuse for the Dark Lord to keep me alive—told him I could be a valuable babysitter. But I can't be of any use—how would Bella trust me after I lied to the father of her child?"

Nymphadora's mouth was still open in shock as Remus said, "No one knows of this child? This...heir of Lord V—"

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" shrieked Narcissa and her son at the same time in terror.

"Narcissa," Andromeda said softly, rubbing her back gently. "Only you and Draco and who else know?"

"Rodolphus," Narcissa shuddered, seeming to be unable to keep herself from telling the truth. "And Rabastan. I—I think that's it. I helped Bella with the birth, but—of course I disapproved of her actions."

Nymphadora took Teddy from her husband, cradling the child close. "How could she do something so...revolting?" she shivered, an urge to be sick coming over her.

Narcissa looked over at the youngest witch in the room. "When you are trained as a Death Eater, Nymphadora," she said knowingly, "you will do things that you would never thought you'd do. You will find them...necessary."

"I will not change at heart," Nymphadora said stubbornly. "I will remain the same, no matter what I must do."

"They'll break you," Draco said with a nod. "They will change you at the core, and you will not be able to hold to your righteous nonsense."

She glared at him, but Remus wrapped his arm around her again, hugging her to his side. "What's her name?" Nymphadora asked Narcissa after a moment.

"Delphini," Narcissa said, briefly hesitating.

"Well, Mum, you and Bella have the same terrible taste in names," Dora rolled her eyes. "Draco got lucky."

"You call this lucky?" Draco snapped bitterly.

Nymphadora rolled her eyes again. _"Please_ be a pathetic heap on the floor, Malfoy. Suck it up. None of us have had lives so fine as yours, but none of us are ready to throw up our hands and quit! Are you the son of your father, or not?"

Andromeda looked between the two, seeing Draco's furious glare. "Don't," he hissed, "you say a bad word about _my father_."

Narcissa began to cry again softly, and Andromeda hugged her close, rocking her gently as she kissed her head. "Narcissa," she said quietly, "I know it hurts to lose the one you love, more than anything else in the world, but we've got to pull ourselves together and fight for the moment. You'll be needed no doubt, if Bella indeed wishes you to care for her...daughter. You can't just lie here and cry. You are a Black; you are a Malfoy. You cannot give up, and I will not let you."

Narcissa held to her sister for a few moments more, then asked, "Draco, where did they put the water?"

"I moved it so that it wouldn't spill in case of new prisoners," Draco answered, getting to his feet. "I'll get it." The boy carefully made his way across the dark room and came back with the cup of water, kneeling next to his mother as he offered her some. Together he and Andromeda made sure that she drank deeply of it, though she made a face at the taste of it.

"So are we the only prisoners?" Remus asked the two.

Draco shook his head. "There's...there's lots of them," he said. "There's a whole wing of the Manor that was going to be for the more important, necessary prisoners. Azkaban is going to be used, as well as some other pureblood manors, I believe."

Nymphadora looked down at her baby as he began to cry, most likely cold, and she bounced him gently, trying to get him to quiet down. She looked to her mother, who suggested, "See if he's hungry."

She backed away from the others to take shelter in the darkness and adjusted her robe, helping the child find his meal. Nymphadora was surprised to hear the sound of material ripping and was shocked when Remus approached her, holding what appeared to be the skirt of her mother's dress.

"No," Andromeda sighed, almost laughing, "that is one of the bottom layers, Dora. Keep the child warm."

"So...do we ever get food?" Dora asked, leaning back against the cold wall of the dungeon.

"Only when they remember," Narcissa answered. "We've gone three days without food before."

"Oh." Nymphadora bit her lip slightly as Remus helped her wrap Teddy up in the material. "Well, Bella promised to be here bright and early to drag me off and torture me—"

Draco frowned, and Andromeda said, "She means, teach her to be a Death Eater, dear."

The boy scowled into the darkness in his cousin's direction. "She is the worst. You'll come back here unable to think straight and wishing you'd died instead of being captured."

"Her hair will be white," Andromeda nodded. "And she'll probably be incoherent—"

"All of you are _so_ encouraging," Nymphadora snapped. "Shut up. I have to do this!"

"We know," Andromeda sighed. "I wish it could be me instead."

Narcissa made a small sound of disapproval. "Bella would kill you," she told Andromeda. "She would not teach you anything that she means for your daughter."

Nymphadora sighed. "Tell me what to expect?"

"Nothing that you would expect," Draco nodded. "Except pain. Very unique, delicately destructive forms of torture."

"Great," Nymphadora nodded. "Now I guess we just wait?"

The dungeon fell into silence as they all fell into thinking much more of their fears, and much less of their hopes.


	5. Auntie Bella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, sometimes I do feel sorry for these characters, considering what we put them through, and it only gets worse . . .

The dungeon was quiet, the Malfoys asleep in their own corner of the room (they had surely become more used to sleeping in the dank cellar), though Andromeda, Remus and Nymphadora were all wide awake. Nymphadora was nestled against her husband's chest, her eyes forced shut as Remus gently stroked her hair whilst keeping a watchful eye on their sleeping son. There was no way to tell how long they had been down there, the room was silent to the outside world and devoid of any form of natural light merely the eerie glow of a few scattered lit sconces nearer the entrance of the room. Though as the door to the dungeon opened with a crash each witch and wizard somehow knew it was far too early for any other resident of the manor to be awake. Rodolphus Lestrange soon appeared at the bottom of the steps, his wand held out in front of him as it emitted a small amount of light on the area. Remus held his wife tightly to himself, knowing what was about to happen yet not at all willing to let the young witch go. After the man had looked around the room, satisfied with whatever it was he was looking for he pulled a small bottle out of his robes and threw it over to the parents of the now stirring child.

"Come on, Nymphie," Rodolphus grunted, clearly just as displeased to be awake at this time as the rest of them.

Dora rested her hand on Remus's chest, reassuring him as much as she could with a gentle touch before she disentangled herself from his comforting grasp. She took one last look at her son, the boy looking up at her with his curious bright blue eyes and hair to match.

"I said _come on_ , Nymphie." He spoke more firmly this time, pointing his wand directly at the witch as she glared at him defiantly though walked towards him all the same. A hiss of discomfort left her lips as he grabbed her arm firmly, taking one last look at the room before he dragged her up the stairs. The girl winced as the suddenly bright lights hit her outside of the dank dungeon, squinting to readjust though she was soon thrown against the wall and away from the man's grasp. A clink of the doors locking came from behind her as Dora tried to make herself stand upright "Why couldn't you go down there, hmm? It's seven in the morning, Bellatrix."

"I'm not going down there." Bellatrix hissed "Leave Narcissa to her foolishness, Merlin knows I _do not_ want to see her right now."

"Then why wouldn't you simply let the woman _die_?" Rodolphus snapped back at her, his eyes flicking between the young metamorphmagus righting herself and the narrowed eyes of his wife "Next time you want to her out at seven in the bloody morning you can go down there yourself."

"But Roddy," Bella pouted "I couldn't sleep." She giggled "I'll make it up to you later."

"You better," Rodolphus mumbled before he stormed away, leaving his wife to her newest plaything.

"Oh dear," Bella sighed teasingly as she looked to her niece "do you think I've upset him?" Bellatrix Lestrange tilted her head as she considered the young woman glaring at her for a few moments before she shook her head with a smirk "You reek of defiance, _Nymphadora_. Not to worry, Auntie Bella can fix that." Dora hissed as Bellatrix reached out and grabbed her arm, leading her away from the dungeons with a sickeningly happy skip in her step. "I have a special room, Nymphie—Just for you and me!" she pronounced in her demented sing-song tone "We're going to have lots of fun, if you behave—or if you don't behave. Either way, I'm having fun today. You? Not so much. How does that sound? Hmm? Answer me Nymphie." Bellatrix laughed as she turned another corner, purposely letting Nymphadora collide with a wall on the way.

"It sounds like you're a deranged bitch." Dora hissed, unable to help herself as she seethed.

"Ha!" Bellatrix barked, walking to the end of the corridor before she finally stopped, suddenly turning to face the girl. She pouted as she reached out and deceivingly gently brushed a stray strand of hair from the girls face "I like you, Nymphie. You are going to be such a fun little play toy." Bellatrix raised a finger as Nymphadora went to speak again "Just bear in mind every last thing you say can affect how I treat you . . ." Bella considered herself for a moment before she shrugged, opening the door "Maybe."

With a quick kick to her back, Nymphadora fell into the room with an "Oomph!". Before she could even look up Dora heard the door lock behind her as the sharp click of Bellatrix's heels walking behind her. "Scared I'm gonna run out the door?" Dora groaned as she tried to sit up only to have the heel of her deranged Aunt pressed into the centre of her back as her face hit the floor yet again.

"You could try." Bella mused "We could play a game of chase!" her deranged laugh rang throughout the room, Dora was sure she'd get sick of that sound sooner or later "Though I'm not in the mood for running around after scum this morning, maybe another day. I'm planning on having lots of fun with my ickle niece today."

"You are no Aunt of mine; I have no Aunts!" Dora yelled as the heel of Bellatrix's boot stuck further into her back.

"Aww," Bella pouted "and here I was thinking you were making friends in the dungeons."

"You're fucking sick," Dora growled, taking a deep breath as she thought back to her Auror training with Mad-Eye. Without a moments notice she bent her legs beneath her and pushed herself off the floor with her hands, managing to her onto her back as she shuffled away from the witch. She looked around the room, the entire large room was completely empty with no windows. Dora looked back to the witch now stood a few feet in front of her, tapping her wand on her leg as she looked to the younger witch with amusement.

"Tut tut, Nymphie." Bella sighed "Already misbehaving so much? You do realise that you're in a locked room with no wand, hmm?" the witch shook her head, pulling Nymphadora's wand out from her pocket as a shit-eating grin split across her face "I've got it. I thought we could have a little duel to start off, though we can begin differently." Bellatrix yawned as she pointed her wand at the girl " **Crucio**."

Nymphadora Lupin immediately tensed, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists as tightly as she could, determined not to show Bellatrix Lestrange any satisfaction. Within seconds the pain increased with a twist of Bella's wand, each of her bones feeling as if they were on fire. Her resolve to hold her breath faltered as she let in a shallow gasp only for a gut-wrenching scream to come out of her mouth, writhing as she clawed at her chest barely feeling her skin tear open. Suddenly it was gone, she slumped forward panting for air as the maniacal laughter of Bellatrix echoed off the walls. Dora cried out in pain as soon a fistful of her hair was grabbed and her head was wrenched back sickeningly quickly.

"Oh Nymphie," Bella pouted, speaking in her childlike voice "do you hurt?" Bellatrix smirked, throwing the girl forward "Good."

Nymphadora bit her lip as she tried to control her breathing, holding herself up from the floor as she watched her Aunt walk around to the front of her dropping her wand on the floor the sound of wood clattering on stone echoing around the room. Dora looked up from the floor for a moment, satisfied her breathing had returned to near enough normal as Bellatrix smirked down at her with her own wand pointed at her.

"Pick it up." Bella chimed.

"Not worried I'll break the ward on the door and run?" Dora hissed, snatching the wand up anyway.

"Darling, you wouldn't even if you could." She laughed "If by some miracle you managed to break both mine and The Dark Lord's wards on that door that lets only a few select people pass through them and if you left the manor—well you'd soon be orphaned, widowed and childless." She giggled as Nymphadora pulled herself to her feet, pointing her wand at her "You see your predicament?"

"Go to hell." Dora hissed, flinging a spell at the witch that was quickly deflected and matched with another causing Dora to quickly side step out of the way.

"Oooh," Bella cooed "starting without warning, tut tut!"

Dora growled as she deflected another spell "Like you would give me a warning!"

"Ha!" Bella flung another curse at the witch, grinning as she cut the girls left shoulder open "You _do_ have a little Black blood—sullied as it is."

Dora, gritted her teeth, her hair turning bright red as she furiously duelled the woman, the pair sending spells back and forth. The younger witch couldn't help but laugh as she got a spell in, cutting the Death Eaters cheek. Though suddenly Bellatrix increased her onslaught, Dora slowly backing away as she deflected curses until she was backed into the wall. It was with another shriek of pain that Dora hit the floor, her right leg bent at an unnatural angle. She turned onto her side, going to curse her Aunt again when her wand went flying out of her hand. Without warning another dark curse hit her, her body convulsing uncontrollably as she hit her hand out at the wall for some form of relief so hard that the break of her wrist was audible.

"Ha!" Bellatrix cackled madly as she lifted the curse "You did that; you broke your own wrist." Bellatrix put her hand to her mouth as she tried to control her laughter "You're not the first—but _merlin_ that never stops being funny."

"Fuck. You." Dora breathed.

"Ergh." Bellatrix wrinkled her nose "Who would want to do that with you? I mean come on Nymphie, you procreate with werewolves?" she sighed dramatically, skipping over to the girl on the floor and sitting beside her, stroking her nail down her pale worn cheek as she smirked at her shivering away from her touch "Morph."

"No." Dora breathed, gasping as Bellatrix sent a hex through her body.

"Morph." Bella repeated, "Or I can go test the ability of a baby morphing."

Dora glared at Bellatrix, shutting her eyes as she morphed. She became slightly shorter, her breasts slightly larger, her jawline more defined and her hair a wild black. She looked back up at her through identical heavily lidded eyes. "Beautiful." Bellatrix rolled her eyes "Though perhaps try someone else, your mother perhaps?" Nymphadora glared up at her. "Oh come on, Nymphie. I'd say I would just Imperio you to do it but truth be told you Aurors are nearly impossible to control. Let's just both imagine me repeating each and every one of my previous threats, hmm?"

With a glare Dora reached her hand up to her lip, wiping away some of the blood before she complied. Soon she was looking back up at Bellatrix with the eyes of her mother, unable to read the expression on Bellatrix's face. She didn't see Bellatrix move until she felt her wand stuck straight in her gut, soon she was screaming again. She screamed so much her throat was raw as every manner of dark curse was used on her poor fragile body. Hours later Nymphadora opened her eyes again, barely conscious as a small weak groan of pain left her bloodied split lips. Though the witch had morphed back to her own appearance mere minutes after morphing to that of her mother's (Bellatrix soon becoming displeased when she realised the girl could not control her morph, or did not want to hold her morph, if submitted to intense pain). She went to lift her arm, soon hissing out in the pain of movement as she realised she was being carried towards the dungeon again.

"Really Nymphie." Rabastan sighed "If you weren't so defiant you might actually be able to move right now."

Dora went to tell the man to piss off, to say anything, though she found herself unable to speak, mere weak mumbles coming out. Rabastan shook his head, letting the girl down and holding her up against the wall as he unlocked the dungeon door with his spare hand. Dora wasn't sure how she got to the bottom of the steps, she had clearly blacked out again. All she knew was that someone had rushed over to her, more than one person falling beside her as a hand reached out for her arm. She yelled out in pain, causing Remus to jump back slightly.

"Andromeda, has her hair ever been three colours unintentionally?" Remus asked, his voice quiet as if scared of speaking of what he could see.

"At the moment red, white and black hair is the least of my concerns," Andromeda muttered.

"Leave her, Andromeda." Narcissa muttered from somewhere near Nymphadora's feet "They don't want her dead and Rabastan said they'd heal her a bit later. You could only make it worse and I'm sure she'll simply get it worse if they come back and she's okay. Save it for when it's needed."

"I am not leaving her like this, Narcissa!" Andromeda snapped.

"Wh—" Dora spluttered, wincing at the pain "Why is Teddy crying?"

"Don't worry about Teddy, Dora." Remus sighed, adjusting the boy in his arms.

"He's hungry." Muttered Draco from a far corner "They gave him one bottle and you've been gone more than three hours. Greedy kid."

"Babies need to eat every couple of hours when they're that young, Draco." Narcissa sighed, walking back over to her son.

"R—Remus—Remus give him to mum a second." Dora watched the corner of her eye before she gritted her teeth as she tried to sit up "R—Remus let me lean up against you."

"He can wait until you're healed, Dora." Andromeda looked to the girl with firm disapproval though she rocked and attempted to comfort her red-haired grandson.

"No!" Dora cried "Remus."

Remus Lupin hesitated for a moment before he sighed "I don't have a choice, do I?" he looked to Andromeda helplessly before he sat behind Dora, pulling her back to rest on him as he tried to ignore her cries of pain through her gritted teeth. He wrapped her arms around her lightly, motioning for Andromeda to pass him the child "I'll hold him off of you best I can, okay?"

Dora whimpered slightly in ways of reply, tensing as the lightest pressure sent surges of pain through her body. Andromeda sat back and watched her family, trying with all of her might not to simply burst into tears at the appalling misery of their situation.

* * *

At least an hour had passed, Dora was breathing shallowly still laid against her husband as he didn't complain at the uncomfortable position he had been stuck in. The sound of the door opening yet again echoed throughout the dungeon and Andromeda soon stood, passing Teddy to Narcissa without another word.

"You are not taking her back to _her_ , Rodolphus Lestrange." Andromeda hissed.

"No," Rodolphus rolled his eyes as Andromeda stood back at the sight of at least 5 other Death Eaters coming down the steps "well Bellatrix will be there. But I need to get her walking first, she's not going to be carried like some baby."

"I—Get off of me!" Andromeda hissed as Dolohov came over to her and grabbed her arm.

"No thank you," Dolohov smirked as the other Death Eaters each went and took a captive, Avery rolling his eyes as he noticed Narcissa cradling Teddy.

Rodolphus sighed as he bent down next to Nymphadora "You know, I see no reasoning as to why Bellatrix gets to have all of this fun and I'm left to do clear up. Maybe another day, hmm?" Dora screwed her eyes shut, yelling out again as Remus was pulled out from under her. No-one spoke nor moved for at least five minutes as Rodolphus fixed bones and removed some of the more debilitating curses. "You can move?" Rodolphus raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes as she didn't speak and pulling her to her feet "Well, you look like shit but you're standing so there's that. Come on." Dora hissed as the man pulled her closer to himself "Give Nymphie the brat, Avery." He waited for Avery to comply, moving his grip to simply grasp onto her shoulder as Dora cradled the small child, wincing in slight pain though nowhere near as pained as before.

"Where are we going?" Remus asked as they were marched up the stairs, to no answer.

They were dragged up another set of stairs, Dora almost falling in her pain as Rodolphus had to stop the girl dropping her son "Be careful, nitwit."

"Yes, be careful Nymphie." Bellatrix purred from the top of the stairs, each person looked up at her, though they were not focusing on the witch and more on what she was holding "You fixed my toy." Bella sighed with a pout "Oh well, I'll just have to break her again."

Delphini Riddle giggled along with her mother, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck as Bella kissed her silver locks "Toy."

"Yes, Delphi." Bella grinned "Mummy's toy."

"I thought The Dark Lord told you to take her back after the meeting, Bella?" Rodolphus sighed.

"Yes well Delphi wanted to see the commotion, didn't you beautiful?" Bellatrix giggled, bouncing the girl on her hip as she grinned at her mother innocently. The woman smiled as Delphi played with her dark wild locks, possibly the most innocent and normal look that anyone but her sisters and perhaps her husband had ever seen, though the moment was short lived as Bellatrix turned her stare to her youngest sister with narrowed eyes "Come on, Narcissa. Avery, give her to Rab, you're mad if you think I'm letting you anywhere near my private quarters."

"Not as mad as you Bellatrix." Avery chuckled as he switched with Rabastan.

"What makes you think I want to go there?" Rabastan muttered.

"Now now boys, you heard our Lord." Bellatrix smirked, "You need to listen to me." She turned, nodding for Rabastan to follow her, calling behind her "See you later Nymphie, bye bye!"

"Bye-bye!" Delphi imitated, waving behind her as she turned a corner.

"Come on," Rodolphus grunted, clearly unamused by his wife's small appearance as he pulled Dora up the stairs.

"Is that . . ." Dora whispered, cradling Teddy closely.

"The Dark Lord and Bellatrix's child." Dolohov shuddered.

Avery laughed "Who can blame him, your wife is—"

"One more word and you'll lose the ability to conceive, Avery!" Rodolphus snapped, reaching the empty wing and pushing Nymphadora through the ward, each of the other Death Eaters doing the same with their captives.

"Names are on the doors, don't try getting out unless you don't value your lives." Rodolphus drawled "Besides, you're warded in."

Dora glared at the man, Remus coming up behind her and wrapping an arm around his wife's waist as he looked down at his son "We need food."

"Good for you," Avery smirked.

"You told us Teddy would be safe!" Andromeda suddenly snapped "How will Teddy be safe if Dora stops eating and becomes so malnourished she can't feed her own child let alone do what The Dark Lord wants of her, hmm?"

"Feisty Black," Dolohov smirked.

" _Tonks_ ," Andromeda growled through gritted teeth.

"I'll make sure something is sent up." Rodolphus rolled his eyes before turning around and leaving the captives to their new wing.

Avery grinned as he looked to the prisoners "As Delphini put it, Bye-bye!" Avery waved immaturely before turning and leaving with a cruel laugh, the other Death Eaters soon following.

"I—" Dora winced as she heard a door slam behind her, turning to see the door marked 'Draco' slamming shut "Sh-Should we check on him?"

"Leave him be." Andromeda sighed.

"O—Okay." Dora sighed.

"Come on, Dora." Remus mumbled, turning his wife into himself "You need to sleep."

"I'll go try and do the same." Andromeda sighed, walking to her door "It will be okay, we will be okay." The woman shook her head as she went into her room.

Remus gently led the girl to their room, shutting the door behind them. They were both relieved to see a double bed, cot and a sparse amount of furniture in the room. With a little coaxing, Remus took their child and put him in the cot before coming back to her as he lifted her into her arms and lay on the bed with her. The couple lay in silence, Remus stroking the girl's hair until she fell asleep. "Don't worry, Dora." Remus whispered with a sigh "I'm getting us out of here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading along so far, we hope you're enjoying this journey. Please do leave a comment to let us know what you think if you have a minute! :)


	6. Full Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A full moon takes place in the Prisoners' Wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written as an afterthought of how long Dora and her family have already been at Malfoy Manor and what would have happened with Remus being a werewolf. Tell us your thoughts in a comment! We'd love to see what you think! Enjoy!
> 
> Andromeda_Tano

Remus shivered slightly, Dora seated close to him with Teddy cradled in her arms. "Dora, the full moon is tonight," he breathed, sighing as she gently kissed his cheek. "I—"

"Shh," Dora said quietly. "I know. I mentioned it to Rabastan when he dragged me back here a few days ago, and he said he'd take care of it."

"We can't trust them," Andromeda frowned.

"We have no choice," Dora pointed out, and Remus frowned.

"We should still take precautions," he said.

Dora bit her lip. "There is really nothing we can do without their help," she whispered, and Remus bowed his head, looking down at his child in his wife's arms.

"Whatever happens," he breathed, "if I go to hurt Teddy, just kill me."

"I'm sure you won't," Dora shuddered.

"But—"

"Shh," Dora said, pressing her finger to his lips. "It isn't as if we are capable of such things anyway, Remus. We're all weaponless, and Mother's wandless magic is unreliable—

"Excuse me?!" came Andromeda's voice, and Dora couldn't help grinning.

The girl laughed, "Well, you are a bit unusual without a wand." She glanced up at Remus before reaching over and hugging him gently. "It's going to be okay," she said. "I was good this morning, and they promised to take care of things."

The three adults sat there for a long while until Remus muttered, "You really should find the safest place to keep Teddy, Dora. It's going to be too late soon."

Dora was about to reply when they all jumped, Remus wincing, as they felt someone's magic against the wards. "Dolohov," Andromeda frowned. "And Rabastan. Perhaps you were right, Dora."

Moments later, the two Death Eaters flung open the doors to the room and walked in. "Get up," Rabastan said to Remus without introduction, pointing his wand at the werewolf.

"Rabastan, be nice," Dolohov grinned. "He doesn't like werewolves, Nymphie. Be thankful he even decided to be here. We have orders to take the werewolf and keep you safe from him."

Nymphadora started to reply angrily when Remus patted her knee gently and got to his feet, the Death Eaters taking him out of the room. "You can come see what will happen, Nymphie," Rabastan called back. "I mean, he's going to be in the ward still. I wouldn't want to waste space in the dungeons."

The two witches followed the Death Eaters, shocked and horrified to find out that they intended to chain Remus in the middle of the hallway.

"You can't do that!" Dora cried in horror, giving Teddy to Andromeda and starting forward.

"We can and will," Dolohov growled at her, swinging his wand around to point at her. "Unless you want us to lock him and your cub in a room, hmm? I thought not. Tonight, everyone here in the ward will learn exactly what an abomination a werewolf truly is."

"Dora, don't—" Remus tried to tell her as she approached them, but Rabastan turned and slammed the girl against the wall, his wand at her throat.

"You are at the mercy of Bellatrix," Rabastan hissed at her. "And the Dark Lord, but mostly Bella. She thought it would be hilarious if your beast killed or turned you all, but Rodolphus reminded her that there are complications with werewolves and the Dark Mark and things that you couldn't possibly understand."

Nymphadora struggled to throw him off her, but he sent a Curse through her body and she writhed in his grasp, crying out in pain. "Leave me alone! she shrieked.

Rabastan glared straight into her eyes. "I suggest you return to your mother. We have to ward the hall in case he breaks the chains." He shoved her away so that she stumbled, trying to keep her balance.

Andromeda wrapped an arm around Nymphadora, pulling her into her side as they stared at the boys. Dora bit her lip as her eyes filled with tears at the injustice of it all. Remus stared back at her as the two Death Eaters chained him between the walls.

"You probably won't want to come out of your rooms," Dolohov laughed as he and Rabastan stepped back, preparing to ward the hall. "No, you won't be able to go in, Nymphie, and no, he cannot get out. Now choose the side you'd like to be on before we set up the wards. It will obstruct the hall."

"Come on," Andromeda said softly, leading her daughter forward. "We should stay on the other side." As they walked past Dolohov, he smirked at them, but didn't speak.

Dora leaned up and kissed her husband's cheek, whispering, "I love you. I'll be waiting when it's over."

"Come on, Nymphie," Rab said playfully, slapping her across the behind, "move along."

"Keep your hands off my daughter!" Andromeda yelled at him, Teddy beginning to cry as Remus held back words of rage as well.

Nymphadora felt her face flush, her hair turning red in embarrassment before she ran away from them all down the hall, leaving Andromeda to follow her quickly before the Death Eaters came up with any more ideas. The men laughed at them, placing the ward before calling goodbye to Nymphie. "Just wait til I tell Rod that I've found a witch with an ass to rival Bella's!" Rabastan laughed uproariously. "I wonder what he'd say to that!"

Andromeda led her daughter to Narcissa's room, knocking on the door. The witch called for them to enter, looking at the two carefully when they walked in. Draco was seated at his mother's side, staring at Nymphadora intently. She glared at him, daring him to comment.

"Did they take him?" Narcissa asked softly, looking between the two witches.

"They—they chained him in the hall," Dora whispered, leaning her head against her mother's shoulder when they had sat down on the bed. "We won't really be able to leave our rooms tonight."

"Or sleep," grumbled Draco.

"That is the least of our worries!" Nymphadora glared at him, clenching her fists. "Well, the least of mine!"

Andromeda slipped her arm around her daughter, shushing her softly. "You can go out there in a little bit," she said. "I imagine you'd want to be there for a few minutes?"

Dora nodded, sniffing back tears. "He doesn't deserve this. It's not his fault."

Andromeda looked down at Teddy, holding him close as she tried to calm him a little, the child seeming ready to cry. "Shh, Teddy," she murmured, kissing his brown curls. "It's okay."

A little while later, Nymphadora sniffed, morphing her hair brown and clearing her face of tears before she left the room, carefully approaching her husband, sat in the middle of the hall. She paused at the ward, forcing herself not to speak as she couldn't trust her voice.

"Dora," he breathed, trying to stay quiet as he could feel the wolf much too close. "Dora, stay back. Go—go stay in one of the rooms. These chains—and if the ward doesn't hold—Dora, I couldn't bear losing you."

"Remus," she whispered, "you know I love you. I know you would never consciously harm me or our family. I just...I want to be here for you."

"It isn't safe," Remus insisted, the chains rattling as he tried to turn to face her, though he was too constrained as he knelt in the chains.

Dora reached out hesitantly to test the wards, a small laugh escaping her. "We are safe," she said firmly. "These are Auror grade werewolf containment wards. We will be fine."

"You still shouldn't be here," Remus muttered. "You should be with Teddy to make sure he's okay tonight."

"Mum has him," Dora answered firmly. "This is about you, Remus."

"Pretend it's like any other time," he sighed. "Dora, get some rest."

"I'm not leaving you alone until you're no longer yourself," Dora said quietly. "I want to stay, and you can't make me leave."

Remus sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Dora..."

She took a deep breath, leaning against the wall right before the ward. They were quiet until Remus gasped, Dora's breathing immediately quickening as well. "Dora," he groaned as she heard the cracking and popping of his transformation beginning, "stay safe."

"I will," Dora whispered, tears starting to her eyes. "I—I love you," she called out to him, tears trickling down her cheeks as she watched her beloved husband cry out as he became a terrifying, uncontrollable creature.

The wolf howled, going to turn around when it found it was bound. It howled in rage, immediately fighting the chains and making a lot of noise.

Tears streamed down Dora's face as she watched for a few moments before walking back to Narcissa's room, knocking before she entered. Without a word, she went to her mother, sitting down and curling into the woman's side.

"Now what?" Draco asked, looking between his mother and Andromeda.

"We...try to stay comfortable and keep Teddy quiet," Narcissa answered, glancing down at the child in her arms. "I think the girls and Teddy will be staying with me tonight since they can't go back to their rooms."

Draco nodded, Dora shivering as she heard the wolf continuing to howl and fight his chains. After a few moments, Dora curled up on the bed, her head on her mother's lap as the older witch rubbed her back carefully. "Thanks," the girl sighed with a soft yawn. It did take a few minutes for the witch to get to sleep, but she managed it far before anyone else even thought of sleeping.

Narcissa watched the two for a moment before saying, "If you want to share a bed with her, I'll just double it so that I have one as well."

"How?" Andromeda frowned. "You have a wand?"

"You can use wandless magic," Narcissa said confidently. "You've always been good at it."

"I'm out of practise," Andromeda sighed, then shook her head slightly. "But I will try. Though don't blame me if we end up with five beds in the room. You know I can get a little out of hand."

Narcissa smiled at her slightly, all three of them jumping when the snarls and howls renewed from the hall, none of them having realised it had stopped for a few moments. "Oh dear," Narcissa sighed.

Andromeda gave her sister a small smile. "Well, imagine having this happen every full moon," she told Narcissa. "Dora always warded him in our basement, but sometimes we could still hear him."

Draco seemed slightly unnerved, and Andromeda carefully slid Dora onto the bed as she got to her feet with a sigh. "If you would be so kind as to stand aside," Andromeda said to Narcissa and Draco, taking a steadying breath and raising her right hand as they complied.

Andromeda performed the spell with seemingly no problem, going straight back to Dora and sitting down next to her. Narcissa looked at her son. "Are you going to stay with me?"

"N-no," Draco shook his head, then got to his feet. "I-I'll be in my room." The young man left the room, and Narcissa sighed.

"This is very strange to him, I'm sure," Andromeda said, pulling off her dress and changing into a nightgown. "He isn't used to sleepovers."

"No," Narcissa laughed slightly, shivering at the sound of the werewolf outside. "I hope Draco got to his room all right."

Andromeda listened for a moment, then replied, "Well, the chains are still rattling from the same place, so the wolf is still chained at least." She crawled into bed next to her daughter, sighing softly as she stroked the girl's grey hair out of her face. "Dora," she murmured, kissing her daughter's forehead. "You're going to suffer so much, and you don't know the half of it."

Narcissa sighed, facing the two as she lay down as well. "She won't take orders well, will she?"

"Not at all," Andromeda bit her lip. "She is as stubborn as Bella, but nothing can stand up to insanity. And Dora loves—it's her greatest weakness."

"You consider love a weakness?" Narcissa frowned. "I never expected to hear you say that."

"Here it is," Andromeda answered. "It doesn't touch me because I have no one to care about but Dora and her son. I can hide it better, though it is difficult. Nymphadora...well, she was a Hufflepuff, and she loves like one."

Narcissa shook her head slightly, pulling her blanket up to her chin. "She'll suffer," she agreed. "Be there for her."

Andromeda was startled, but bit her lip and nodded. "I would not abandon my daughter, Narcissa."

"Good," said Narcissa. "Make sure you don't." She closed her eyes and settled down to sleep, Andromeda lying awake for a little while longer, thinking about the future of her small family.

 

The instant Dora woke the next morning, she looked around quickly to make sure it was light outside, then half fell out of bed in her hurry to get to the door of the room. She peeked out of Narcissa's room, looking down the hall to see her husband half kneeling, half sagging in the restraint of one of the chains, the other having snapped.

"Remus," she breathed, hurrying down the hall only to be stopped by the ward. "Oh come on! He needs me!"

"Dora," came an agonized groan from the man. "Dora..."

"Remus," Dora sniffed as tears sprang to her eyes. "I—I can't reach you, or I would help."

He shivered, biting back anymore sounds. "It—it's cold," he breathed, and Dora realised that his robes had been shredded, as he never usually wore clothes during a transformation.

"I—I'm sorry," Dora sniffed back tears as she watched him lie there. "Remus..." She touched the wards, but felt the rejection and withdrew her hand. "There's no way I can break this ward. Only a Death Eater could." She was leaning her head against the wall as a tear trickled down her cheek when someone joined her before the ward.

The blonde boy didn't look at her as he reached out his left hand toward the ward. The moment his hand went through the ward, his eyes narrowed, and he took the blanket he'd been holding under his arm, shaking it out and stepping forward. He crossed the ward boundary, silently draping the blanket over his old DADA teacher before he turned and hurried back up the hall, disappearing into his room.

The old werewolf looked around in shock. "Dora, you couldn't have—"

"No," Dora whispered as fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. "It was Draco. I forgot...he has the Mark."

"I...can't say I expected that," Remus sighed. "But...it's nice."

Dora gave a small laugh through her tears. "Remus...we've got to get out of here," she breathed. "Between this and my trials, there's no way we can survive. I can see that you have terrible injuries."

Remus smiled wryly. "I've got to be taken down from here first," he said, then winced as he moved his shoulder. "I think I cracked my right wrist and dislocated my left arm," he said. "Too much struggling. I don't think the wolf liked being chained."

She was about to speak when the ward on the Prisoners' wing flickered and Rodolphus stormed in, glaring at the two of them. "Why Bella won't just take care of you herself—" he growled under his breath, striding down the hall toward them. "Stand back, Nymphie. Wouldn't want to hurt Bella's precious toy, would I?"

He crumbled the ward, and Nymphadora rushed to her husband's side without waiting for permission. She knelt beside him, her arm around him as Rodolphus glared down at them. "Didn't I tell you to stand back?" he scowled. "You should obey, Nymphie. It would make us more willing to treat your family well. Get away from him."

Nymphadora stared up at him, biting her lip until Remus nudged her gently. She scooted away from her husband and got to her feet, watching the Lestrange. "He—he needs help," she said firmly.

Rodolphus sneered at her. "And you think you are entitled to request that for him, Nymphie? You won't even obey a simple order!"

"Please!" Dora pleaded with him. "I—I'm sorry! P—please." Her hair turned mousey brown as she looked down at her hands, her heart pounding.

"Crucio," Rodolphus smirked, his wand pointed at her gut. She yelled out in pain, striking her head against the wall as she clawed her chest in agony.

"Dora!" her husband cried as Rodolphus grabbed the witch by the front of her dress, slamming her against the wall.

"Say that again," Rodolphus whispered in her ear. "Say 'Please, Rodolphus.' Come on, Nymphie."

Nymphadora choked back her tears and spat, "You're sick! I hate you!"

Rodolphus allowed another Curse to surge through the girl, Remus yelling in rage as Dora shrieked in pain, her captor groaning in pleasure at her cries. "Nymphie, you're such a good toy," he breathed against her neck, his hand gripping her hair tightly.

"Stop!" she cried, tears streaming down her face as she writhed against him.

"That's not what I told you to say," he warned her. "Try again."

"Please, Rodolphus!" she sobbed, her hair pure white. "Please!"

He threw her to the floor, the girl curling up and wrapping her arms around herself as she cried. He approached the old werewolf, unchaining him before quickly scanning Remus for injuries and healing the more serious ones. Rodolphus glanced at Nymphadora and smirked before he turned, leaving the wing proudly.

"Dora," Remus breathed, scooting closer to her as she lay sobbing on the floor. "Dora, I'm so sorry..."

"Remus!" Dora cried. "Oh, Remus."

He held back a wince of pain, his joints protesting as he pulled the witch into his arms, kissing her head gently. "I love you," he breathed as she clung to him. "Dora...we've got to get out of here."

Dora nodded against his shoulder, sniffing back more tears. "Soon," she whispered. "I can't stand this place."

"That makes two of us," Remus sighed. "For you and for Teddy, we've got to get out of here."

"For all of us," Dora corrected him, looking up with a sad smile. "None of us are safe anymore, Remus. I'm beginning to understand this more than ever now."

Remus hugged her carefully, kissing her head as they sat there in the hall for a few moments, both of them longing for their old home, and freedom.


	7. The Great Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read, review and enjoy the latest chapter. We have a fair few of these chapters done now so we're just going to go by the rule of updating every couple of reviews or once a week. :)
> 
> Andromeda_Tano

 

Remus couldn't help but glare at Marshall Avery as he escorted Nymphadora from their room, half dragging her down the hall of their wing. Apparently Bellatrix wanted to play again, and had ordered him to retrieve her niece from the prisoners' wing. He knew how the day would end, knew how his wife would return to him when Bellatrix had finished torturing her.

Their baby boy gave a small cry, and Remus turned away from the hall, Dora and her escort out of sight. He walked back into his and Dora's room, lifting the child from the cot and holding him close before realising the child must be hungry. Remus groaned softly, knowing that they did not have any food for the child.

"Remus?" Andromeda looked into the room hesitantly. "I heard. Teddy picked the exact wrong time to be hungry."

"I hate hearing him cry in hunger," Remus scowled, shaking his head. "He's my son; he shouldn't have to suffer, and he definitely shouldn't suffer for my and Dora's beliefs!"

"Well," Andromeda sighed, walking into the room and shutting the door behind her quietly, "here."

Remus was astonished to see the witch hold out a bottle to him for Teddy. "How did you get this?" he asked in surprise.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter? Though it would be wise not to let anyone know you have it...it was sneaked in last night when Bellatrix went back to take care of Delphi."

The man shook his head. "She—"

"Shhh," Andromeda hissed. "Do not put us in more danger."

"We couldn't be in any more danger, Andromeda," Remus said sternly. "Listen: we've got to get Dora out of here. She'll go mad if she's forced to go Dark against her will. She'll fight it, but this place...it will break her."

Andromeda sighed, nodding as she looked down at her grandson. "We've got to get them both out. Do you have a plan?"

Remus frowned, then shook his head. "We'll need a Death Eater's assistance, if we're to escape this wing, unless we're all taken out of here for some reason."

"But then we're always heavily guarded," Andromeda said thoughtfully. "If we had one's assistance—but I doubt any of them would willingly help us—we would have to force them. And I doubt the Imperius would work, the ward would be against that—"

"Andromeda!" Remus said in shock, and she gave him a stern look.

"We are in a Death Eater controlled climate, Mr. Lupin," she said sharply. "We must do everything in our power to succeed if we are to attempt this. And don't talk to me about stooping to their level," she added when he went to protest. "I have done many Dark spells in my past, though I'm sure they all pale in comparison to the least of these Death Eaters' spells. If the Imperius does not work to get us through the ward, then the Death Eater must be convinced to willingly escort us through, however we may have to convince him."

Remus was shaking his head, muttering something, but Andromeda crossed her arms with a huff of annoyance. "Nymphadora has suffered far worse things, and will  _learn to do them_  if we do not get her out of here," she said sharply. "Using an Unforgivable is by far some of the least Dark spells out there."

"Don't justify—"

"I am not!" Andromeda half yelled, though she turned away to compose herself as Remus seemed shocked at her shouting. "I am as worried as you, Remus, and I will do anything to save my daughter, you, my grandson, my entire family—I do not care if that means I become a murderess. I...I can't see her become like Bellatrix, Remus. I just can't. I raised her well, raised her to be a Light witch, and I don't want to see her turn Dark. I will do  _anything_  to keep her safe."

"I..." Remus hesitated. "Be careful, Andromeda."

"I will," she answered, looking down at Teddy. "I don't want to be a bad influence on Teddy."

Remus shook his head slightly. "We'll have to discuss how we intend to kidnap a Death Eater when Dora returns—though I'm sure we'll have to take care of her first."

Andromeda sighed and nodded, then walked to the door of the room. "I'll be with Narcissa. She was hurt when she returned last night, so I'm trying to keep an eye on her. Let me know when we can talk."

Remus sighed, and the brown-haired witch left the room.

* * *

Nearly two hours later, Remus heard raucous laughter and stepped out of his room to see Dora held firmly by Rodolphus Lestrange, the witch's hair white and ragged, her dress torn, blood staining one sleeve.

"Dora," he breathed, rushing forward, and she yelled in fright, jumping back against Rodolphus, who only laughed harder, his arm wrapped around the witch firmly. "Let go of her!"

"Now, now," Rodolphus chuckled, his wand in Nymphadora's side. "Don't be rude. I was bringing her back. Bellatrix was about to kill her...you might want to have a word with Nymphie about not pushing Bella too far. She does kill accidentally when her victims make her overly angry."

"Overly angry," Dora spat, though her hair remained white.

Another door opened and Andromeda stepped into the hall, hurrying toward her daughter. Rodolphus shoved Nymphadora forward, Andromeda catching the younger witch as Dora cried out in pain. "Shhh," Andromeda murmured against her daughter's hair. "Thank you," she said to Rodolphus.

The man shook his head at her. "You should have taught her how to behave, Andromeda," he smirked. "She isn't half so courteous as you."

"I have no reason to be," Dora hissed, twisting in her mother's arms to glare at the man. "I don't care what you think of me!"

"Nymphie," the man chuckled, then turned away from her and left the wing, shaking his head.

The two adults immediately turned to the injured witch. "Dora," Andromeda said quickly, "what hurts?"

Dora drew a sharp breath. "It's just residual pain," she winced as Andromeda helped her into her and Remus' room. "Rodolphus healed me somewhat before he brought me back."

Remus growled under his breath, and Nymphadora looked up at him as she sat down on their bed. "Come here, Remus," she sighed. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Remus said firmly, then took her chin in his hand. "I'm getting you out of here," he said quietly. "Your mother and I are planning an escape."

"Remus," Dora murmured, her eyes full of defeat, "it won't work."

"Dora, don't say that!" Remus pleaded, sitting down next to her. "You're just discouraged from being around that awful witch. Just listen for a moment to our idea, okay?"

"Okay," Dora mumbled, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I just feel helpless."

Remus hugged her to his side, looking up as Teddy cried once again, though Andromeda immediately went to take care of the child. "We think we can get us out of these wards," he said quietly. "We'll have to sort of kidnap a Death Eater, or force one of them to escort us out of here. The wards on the gates will be tricky, but I'm sure whoever we choose will have clearance to get in and out."

"Kidnap a Death Eater?" Dora sighed, half laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. "And then I can morph, and Mum can, a little..."

"But you know I don't like it," Andromeda said with a frown.

"But you'd do anything for your family," Remus reminded her, and she glared at him.

"They would know, anyway," Dora said. "Mum has told me that her morph doesn't hold well. I could pretend to be escorting you two somewhere."

Andromeda bit her lip. "I don't want to leave Narcissa and Draco here," she said. "They will not be safe if we run away without them."

Remus sighed. "They were fine before we got here."

"Do you call being locked in their own dungeon 'fine'?" Andromeda hissed, forcing herself not to yell at the man. Remus seemed to not understand what she meant about her entire family. "She is my sister!"

"Mum, please," Dora said softly, "let's talk about the plan, and then you can go discuss it with Narcissa. We've got to make sure we have this together."

Andromeda took a deep breath to calm herself, finally approaching her daughter to hand over Teddy. "We gave him a bottle earlier," she sighed. "But he does need to be fed soon."

Dora took the baby into her arms and prepared to feed him, sighing, "Go on with your idea?"

"We force a Death Eater to help us out," Andromeda said, looking down at her daughter firmly. "Then we either abandon him or force him to come with us, since we are not exactly sure how we'll get past the gates."

"I morph," Dora agreed with a nod. "To Bellatrix, probably, as no one questions her."

"No," said Remus at the same time Andromeda said, "It's probably the safest."

"No!" Remus said in horror, looking at Dora.

"Remus..." Dora murmured, "I need to get out of here. Whatever has to happen, or...I can feel my resolve slipping sometimes when I'm tortured. I want us to be free, for Teddy to be safe. No one is safe here."

Remus covered his face with his hands for a moment, then said, "Dora...I—I don't want you to have to suffer. We'll do what we have to, but...please—" he looked up to Andromeda as well "don't do anything more than you absolutely have to."

The two witches nodded, and Andromeda left the room, saying, "We'll speak of a time later" before hurrying off to her sister's room.

* * *

Narcissa was lying on her bed, her son sitting by her side as she tried to rest, though the pain of the curse Bellatrix had done was keeping her awake. She barely looked up as Andromeda entered the room.

"Cissa?" Andromeda asked softly, approaching the bed. "Are you sure you don't want me to see if I can remove that curse?"

"Leave it," Narcissa breathed. "I don't know what it is—it's some sort of monitoring spell, I think."

"Oh." Andromeda frowned, then stood there awkwardly for a moment. "May I speak with you?"

Narcissa sighed, closing her eyes. Finally, she said, "Draco, if you would give us a few moments."

Draco got up from his chair after shooting a resentful look at Andromeda before leaving the room quickly. Andromeda frowned after him, annoyed with the boy, though she understood his frustrations.

"What is it, Andromeda?" Narcissa said wearily as the older witch took Draco's chair.

"Narcissa," the brown-haired witch began softly, "we have a plan."

The blonde witch immediately looked alarmed, and as Andromeda opened her mouth to speak, Narcissa reached out and pressed her fingers to her sister's lips. "Shhh," Narcissa said. "Do not speak of it to me."

Andromeda caught the witch's slender hand in her own, pulling it away from her mouth. "Cissa, I want you to come with us."

"Dromeda," Narcissa said in a near whisper, "I cannot go with you."

"You can," Andromeda insisted. "You can be free, and so can Draco. We can all—"

"No," Narcissa said almost harshly. "This place is my home and I will not leave it. There is too much danger to leave. If I become part of such a plan, I put Draco in danger. I will not lose my son, Andromeda."

Andromeda bit her lip, looking down at the witch. "You won't go with us?" she whispered. "With me?"

Narcissa closed her eyes, a lonely tear trickling down her cheek. "My place is here," she breathed before she reached out and grabbed her sister's hands. "Andromeda—good luck. Stay safe out there. But don't tell me anything, and don't even hint at anything to my son."

Andromeda nodded, reaching up and wiping the tear from Narcissa's face. "I love you, sister," she whispered. "Be careful yourself." She turned and left the room, her heart filled with sorrow.

* * *

Later that evening, Nymphadora tiptoed into her mother's room and breathed, "Mum?"

"Yes?" Andromeda asked, sitting up slightly.

"Next time Bellatrix has me brought to her, be prepared when I return," Dora answered, and Andromeda bit her lip, nodding in agreement. "Did you talk to Narcissa?"

"She...isn't going," Andromeda said, lying back in her bed. "And don't mention any of the plans to her or Draco. She asked to be left out of it for her own reasons."

"Oh." Nymphadora looked down for a moment, then said softly, "I'm sorry. I know you still care about her."

Andromeda took a deep breath and nodded. "She has to protect her family, and I have to protect mine."

Nymphadora leaned down and hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll make sure Remus knows not to let them know anything."

"Thank you," Andromeda said, hugging her daughter back before almost pushing her away. "Go rest, Dora. It will take strength to complete this task."

"Good night," Dora whispered before leaving the room and returning to her husband.

Remus wrapped his arms around her as soon as she crawled into the bed next to him, pulling her close and kissing her head. "Dora," he murmured, "I love you so much. No matter what happens to us here, or after we escape, remember that I love you."

She looked up, leaning closer to him as she pressed her lips to his firmly. "And I love you, Remus Lupin," she whispered. "Just wait. We'll be safe soon."

Remus nodded, closing his eyes and leaning his head against hers, the two falling into a restless sleep.

* * *

Andromeda was startled awake several morning later by someone yelling Nymphadora's name down the hall, and a door slammed open, the girl crying out in shock. Quickly throwing on the nearest dress, Andromeda looked out into the hall, seeing two Death Eaters standing outside Dora's room.

"Bellatrix wants to see you," one of them called through the door. "And while we'd like you to come out here willingly, we'd have no problem with dressing you ourselves..." They laughed together and Andromeda frowned, not recognising the two Death Eaters. She wondered if that's why there were two of them, because Nymphadora could not be trusted to one alone.

"Ready," came Dora's best haughty voice as her room door opened once again.

"About time," one said, and Nymphadora stared at him for a few moments, her hair shooting bright red.

"You?" she yelled in shock. "You!"

The second Death Eater, who had called out the other taunts, brandished his wand. "Walk," he said to her firmly. "I have better things to do than escort Bella's  _toy_  back and forth to her playroom."

Nymphadora fumed in silence as she allowed herself to be roughly marched down the hall by the two, not looking back. She couldn't believe the wizard walking on her left, though she had seen him betray them at the Battle, seen him cut down some of their best. She hated him.

"Guard your mind," chuckled the second man. "It's screaming anger and revenge. I do hope it's not Bellatrix: you've got no chance of succeeding."

The witch growled under her breath, sure if she replied she would snap and try to curse them both, probably ending up in trouble before her training session started. She remained silent as they knocked on the door to Bella's special room, then opened the door and shoved her forward.

Nymphadora walked into the room, aware that her hair was still bright red. Bellatrix giggled with glee upon seeing her, then tilted her head curiously. "Did they wake you, Nymphie?"

"He—he was a Hufflepuff," Dora muttered, shaking her head. "Just a few years younger than me, and he made all the wrong decisions."

"Oh, yes, I forgot you probably knew him," Bellatrix shrugged. "They are particularly gullible, though you aren't. But you have your mother to blame for that." She sighed as if it were a heavy burden, then grinned. "But it makes you more fun to play with," she said, drawing her wand. "Come on, Nymphie. Let's dance."

Nymphadora found it much easier to duel the witch as she used her anger to fuel her energy, her sense for the Dark Arts Bellatrix was using. It did not entirely help her, however, and Nymphadora soon found herself yelling in pain on the floor, struggling as Bellatrix crossed the room and pinned her to the floor.

"Nymphie," Bellatrix smirked, leaning over her as she intensified the curse by placing her hand on the witch's side, "you will always fail when you fight me. You cannot possibly ever be better than I."

"I don't try!" Nymphadora half yelled, knowing well what she had to do, even in the middle of her pain.

"You should," Bellatrix hissed, but shrugged. "Don't make me use my knife, little Nymphie. You wouldn't like that, would you?" She stroked a cold finger down the girl's face, smirking as Nymphadora wrenched away from the woman's hand, shrieking in pain at Bellatrix's next curse. "There could always be a little more blood in the floor," she said. "It adds to the room."

"I hate you," Nymphadora spat breathlessly, pretending to be suffering even as she was free from curses at the moment. "You're a sick, twisted bitch."

"Of course," Bella smirked. "Tell me more, Dora."

Nymphadora turned her face away from her tormentor, ignoring her, and screamed out, her hair finally shooting white as Bellatrix decided to just torture her again. Much too long later, Dora lay writhing on the floor, tears streaming down her face as Bellatrix watched her with a look of pity.

"Dora," she pouted. "Why do you want to go to Mummy? If she fixes you, I can always break you again. And I'm more fun than she is."

"Don't be—jealous," Nymphadora gasped, crying out as Bellatrix finally rolled off of her, sighing as she watched the injured witch.

"Silly girl," Bellatrix smirked. "I in no way envy your disowned, widowed, imprisoned, and disgraced mother. Well, if you want her that bad..." She waved her hand at the girl. "You can go to her. I have other things to do for now, but I'll have you back tomorrow."

The witch tried to gather her legs under her, but merely collapsed back against the floor, leaving Bellatrix to stare at her in astonishment. "Weakling!" Bellatrix shrieked with laughter, giggling as she sat on the floor a few feet away. "You know, Nymphadora, if you were any more helpless, you'd be dead."

Nymphadora turned her face away from the witch, pretending to cry from defeat though it was very easy to cry over her pain. "I won't be dead until you're tired of playing," she breathed. "And I know that's a long while, but—I—I can't get back to the wing on my own."

"Oh dear," pouted Bellatrix with a sigh. "Well, that's a problem." She seemed to rub her arm for a moment, and soon a knock came at the door, Bella waving the door open. "Ah," she said. "Good. Take the brat back to the prisoner's wing. Poor Nymphie can't even walk after my easiest curses. I didn't even get to experiment today!"

Nymphadora couldn't help shuddering at her aunt's words, though her hair soon shot red again as she realised who was to help her back to the prisoner's wing: Cedric Diggory. She grit her teeth as he put a Weightless Charm on her, lifting her easily from the floor. She gasped in pain, glad that she didn't have to walk, though half afraid of what injuries she did have that she wouldn't be able to have remedied before her family was to make their escape.

The young wizard refused to look down at her as he carried her back to the wing, and Dora leaned her head against his arm, half amused at her attempts to appear helpless. She couldn't stand to think of the man carrying her as a Death Eater  _and_  a former Hufflepuff, all in one. "You...you were a Hufflepuff," Dora whispered almost inaudibly. "Why would you turn, Cedric? You knew me."

"Don't ask for favours," he said emotionlessly.

"Like I need any you could give," she shot back, sure her hair was red again. "You are a disgrace, do you know that?"

"No more than you," he replied.

"I remember you as a school boy," Dora reminisced, well aware that he could hurt her for anything she said. "You were the best of all of us, so kind, so helpful. Just because you were embarrassed over something like—" she gasped in pain as he hexed her "you don't have to go bad because of it!"

"Tonks," the man said, glaring down at her. "I am not like I used to be, and you are a prisoner of the Dark Lord, of all the Dark. Nothing you say will change my mind, or take me back."

Nymphadora turned her head away from him. "I thought better of you."

He chuckled, and she was unnerved. "Nymphadora," he said quietly, "when you are shamed before everyone, beyond anything you can handle, you will understand how it breaks you, how those like you and I can crumble into nothing."

She shook her head painfully, feeling them cross the ward boundaries. "It didn't have to be this way," she said. With an expert leap, she fell from the man's arms, his wand in her hand as she rolled to her feet, binding him quickly. A door banged open and her mother and her husband joined them in the hall as the Death Eater stared at Dora in shock. "You're fine!" he accused her.

"Shut it," she said warningly. "Now, Ced—isn't that what your dad used to call you? He must have died of shame when you were the cause of the fall of the Light. Funny how Hufflepuffs can do that. Anyway, you will take each of us out of the ward and tell us the best way to go through the manor."

"You'll never make it," the man told her, shaking his head. "Don't try it. You're better off being obedient prisoners."

"I have never been obedient, and never will be," Dora retorted, wondering at her ability to control the man. She looked to her side to see her mother there, her right hand raised toward the boy.

"Nymphadora, give his wand to Remus and let's get out of here," Andromeda said firmly.

"I won't help you," Cedric glared at the three, realising the little baby in the older wizard's arms. "The baby will get hurt—think of him!"

Nymphadora rolled her eyes at him, but Andromeda interrupted. "You should worry more about yourself, and less about us," she said coldly. "Now get up."

The man didn't move, and magic crackled through Andromeda's hand, the man screaming almost instantly under her Curse. "Mum," Dora whispered in shock at her mother's easy use of a wandless Cruciatus, and Remus looked at her in an I-told-you-so way.

"Stop!" Cedric begged after a few moments. "I—I'll help you out of the ward."

"You are the pathetic one," Andromeda said coldly. "Weak. Cowardly. Now get up before I lose my patience, boy."

The Death Eater got to his feet, still seeming shocked at the turn of events, though he took Remus and Andromeda through the ward before going back for Nymphadora. When they came back through the ward, Nymphadora turned to her fellow Hufflepuff. "You have served your purpose," she said, and Andromeda sighed, almost in disappointment as she Stunned the boy and dumped his body in an out of the way spot. "Mother, stop it," Dora said warningly.

Andromeda gave her a small smile. "I could get used to this. I was born for the Dark, but your powers are what they want."

Dora glanced over at Teddy and Remus, the man saying, "Dora...morph now."

"Ugh," said the witch before screwing her eyes shut to concentrate. "Do I look hideous?" she asked when she was finished morphing her body and Transfiguring her dress.

Remus shot her a weak grin. "I'd say you're always beautiful, though I don't think that looks good on you, Love."

Dora shook her head, giving a small gasp as her black curls fell into her face. "Ugh," she said again. "Come on. The sooner we're out of here, the sooner I can be beautiful again."

Andromeda sniggered as the three began to cautiously make their way toward the main part of Malfoy Manor, none of them sure what to expect from the house or its other occupants.


	8. Mercy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So life has gotten a little hectic of late and as such I totally forgot to update this story. Sorry! But please enjoy this latest chapter and please do leave a comment to let us know what you think!

The trio walked the halls of Malfoy manor with great caution, Remus cradling Teddy closely to his chest as the child slept soundly oblivious to the great escape going on around him with Cedric Diggory's wand concealed between himself and his father. Each corner that they took Nymphadora cautiously checked the way before ushering the other's to follow her.

"There has to be another way down that the one staircase . . ." Andromeda muttered.

"No." Dora shook her head, looking around as she whispered to her mother "I came over here when the ministry were searching for dark objects once Lucius was arrested . . . There's only one way down—if you want to go the conventional way."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Remus sighed, shuddering as a mischievous smirk came over Dora's face "Usually I would find that look very attractive."

"Sorry." Dora bit her lip.

"Bellatrix Lestrange never apologises." Andromeda said "Stay in character."

"Ugh." Dora rolled her eyes, twirling her wand around her fingers and pouting "Better?"

"Yes." Andromeda nodded. "Truly deranged." Nymphadora looked to her husband, her eyes stopping on a soundly sleeping Teddy for a moment before with a determined nod carried on with their journey. It was only as they were about to turn the last corner to where Dora was leading them that they all froze.

"Bella?" Rodolphus Lestrange called out from behind them, questioning in his deep voice.

Nymphadora took a deep breath, a cruel smirk coming over her lips before she twirled on the spot, looking towards Rodolphus with her head at a slight angle "Yes?" she sighed before slowly walking towards her, Andromeda shutting her eyes to prevent herself from seeing how easily her own daughter could imitate such a monster.

"Where are you going with those two?" Rodolphus frowned, looking towards the pair and spotting the small tuft of blue hair poking over Remus' shoulder " _Bella,"_ he lowered his voice as Nymphadora was stood mere feet from him "you said you wouldn't hurt the baby. You promised."

Dora blinked, taken back for a moment that the witch would make such a promise to the wizard before she reminded herself of who she was imitating and pouted "Have I ever broken a promise?"

"Yes." Rodolphus growled, reaching out for the woman's hip and pulling her towards himself without warning, his arms wrapping around her waist.

"Well . . ." Dora took a deep breath, reaching her hands up to place them firmly on the mans chest in an attempt to keep some physical distance between them "Nymphie isn't behaving. I thought I'd use them to my advantage." Rodolphus narrowed his eyes at the woman "I'm not _actually_ going to hurt the cub."

Rodolphus rolled his eyes, waiting a moment before he reached up and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from the woman's face "Want a hand?"

"No." Dora shook her head, imitating Bellatrix's evil grin as best she could "There would be less for me to play with if you got involved."

Rodolphus chuckled, grabbing the woman's head before he pulled her into himself, his lips crashing fiercely against her own. Dora forced herself to kiss him back so as not to raise suspicion, reaching her hand up to his shoulder and pushing him back off of her, gasping for air "Go," Dora pouted "don't distract me."

Rodolphus rolled his eyes with a smirk before walking past the woman, each of them staring at the back of him and neither daring to move an inch until they were more than sure he was far out of ear shot. "I'm going to be sick." Dora shuddered, walking back to her husband, stroking Teddy's arm before looking up to Remus "Remus—I—"

"I know." Remus said, sighing as he forced himself to kiss his wife's head even though she looked like Bellatrix Lestrange at present time.

"As lovely as this all is, let's go." Andromeda sighed.

"Right." Dora looked both ways around the corridor, storming ahead until she stopped short at a small window.

"You can't be serious." Andromeda asked, astounded at the witch as she figured out her plan.

"There's a tree." Dora chewed her lip, opening the window and peering outside.

"I cannot climb a tree with Teddy in my arms, Dora." Remus whispered, stroking the stirring child's head.

"Wasn't planning on climbing." Dora shook her head before pointing her wand out of the window at the patch of grass between the tree and the manor " **Molliare**."

Andromeda took a deep breath, walking over to the window and looking at the small drop. She looked between her daughter and grandson before with a steely glaze she looked to her son-in-law "Fall backwards, hold him tight." Without missing a beat the woman fell out of the window, Remus rushing over just in time to see the woman gathering herself on the ground bellow. With a sigh the man went to jump, though as he felt Nymphadora's wrist grasp onto his own he paused.

"Remus . . . If this doesn't work—if they catch us—I'll hold them off, you go." Dora whispered.

"Dora, no." Remus breathed "We're getting out of here together, or else you and Teddy are getting out."

"Rem—"

"Stop arguing, we don't have the time." And with that Remus drew the stolen wand, putting a sleeping charm on their son before falling backwards out of the window.

Dora gripped onto the window frame, watching her husband scurry out of the way and pass her son to her mother before she jumped. She hissed in pain as she hit the floor, Remus running up to her, helping her to her feet and checking she was okay. "I—I'm fine." Dora squeezed his arm reassuringly "Just didn't get to walk away from Bellatrix entirely unharmed earlier."

"Let me heal you." Andromeda offered, adjusting Teddy in her arms.

"No, we need to get out." Dora stood tall, removing all evidence of the cushioning charm before she strode forward "The edge of the wards are that way, we can get out of them but they'll know we've done it, right mum?"

"Right." Andromeda nodded "We'll need to instantly apparate."

"Let's go." Dora nodded, walking forward for a few steps before each of them froze on the spot.

" _Bellatrix._ " Rodolphus smirked as he rounded the corner to the building. "Don't suppose you have Nymphie out in the grounds somewhere?"

"I—What are you doing?" Dora demanded, trying to sound as strong as she physically could though she could see their plan crumbling around them "Why are you down here?"

"You know," Rodolphus mused, drawing his wand and taking a step towards the trio with an amused smirk on his cruel features "there are multiple flaws here. First of all, _no_ , Bella has never broken a promise to me. She may be flawed but fickle she is not. Second, I may have gone back to my room—where I had only been moments previously—and retrieved Bella."

Nymphadora and Remus Lupin simultaneously drew their wands, stepping in front of Andromeda and their son as the real Bellatrix Lestrange rounded the corner behind her husband. Her evil grin was spread across her features as she shook her head in amusement.

"Thirdly," Bellatrix purred "you may be weak Nymphadora, but I have pushed you _much_ further before. I knew you were up to something."

Dora gritted her teeth, glaring at Rodolphus "So you knew the minute you saw me?"

"Pretty much." Rodolphus smirked, laughing as Nymphadora couldn't help but shudder as she dropped her morph.

"Much better." Bellatrix hissed, instantly throwing a curse at the woman "Time to dance Nymphie!" she cackled, deflecting spells sent by both the Order members as her husband joined the onslaught of spells.

"Mum, get him out of here!" Nymphadora screamed, ducking out of the way of a curse just in time.

"Not without you!" Andromeda snapped "You can get her, Nymphadora. You can both get them."

"Ha!" Bellatrix cackled through the furious duel "No she can't, Andromeda. Put the child down and come and play!"

"You wish." Andromeda snarled, stepping back from the fray as she cradled her grandson against her chest. She ducked just in time as a stray spell came flying her way.

"Mum go! We'll meet you, just run!" Dora yelled.

"Now, Andromeda!" Remus growled, barely reflecting a spell from Rodolphus.

"I—" Andromeda screwed her eyes shut, trying to find the resolve to leave her daughter even for a moment and not fight like every instinct in her body was telling her to do—wand or no wand. It was only as she heard the maniacal laughter of her once sister that she snapped her eyes open. All resolve flooding to her as she ran as instructed, going the opposite direction of the duel as Dora and Remus fought for their lives and freedom.

"That's right, Dromeda!" Bellatrix screeched "Do what you do best! Run away!"

Andromeda ignored the witch through her rage at the comments, she wasn't running away. She wasn't. She was protecting her grandson; she would be no use to either of them with the small child in her arms whilst they tried to defeat the duo. She stopped just short of the wards, turning to look at the four. She didn't want to set the wards off just yet; she knew the moment that she stepped through that barrier the whole manor would be alerted to the sudden intrusion. Though she soon realised that it was far too late to be worrying about such things. Nymphadora Lupin gripped onto her wand tightly, struggling to hold her own with the torment her body had been put through without much rest for so long. Bellatrix smirked, sending three quick spells in concession as she shrieked in triumph at the young witch skidding backwards along the grass.

"Dora!" Remus yelled, putting a shield up as he reflected multiple spells as he tried to hold them off until he could reach his fallen wife.

Suddenly the man had no more spells to reflect, Bellatrix and Rodolphus simultaneously stopping as they looked on at the man with malevolent glee. Remus took a risk, turning to see what had become of his wife before his blood ran cold. Lord Voldemort was stood there, a look of displeasure on his pale features as he held Nymphadora onto her feet by the scruff of her dress.

"Who let this happen?" Voldemort hissed to his servants, looking right through the old werewolf as though he weren't there.

"My Lord, it was Cedric Diggory." Bellatrix bowed her head "He took her back from my room and she overcame him."

"I see." Voldemort narrowed his eyes, ignoring the clear discomfort of the witch in his grasp before he threw her forward. Dora stumbled on her feet, Remus lunging forward and pulling her into his arms as he held her tightly.

"One moment, My Lord." Bellatrix purred, disapparating on the spot.

Nymphadora strangled back a whimper of discomfort as she pulled herself up straight on her husband's shoulders, forcing herself to turn to face The Dark Lord. Remus took the witch's hand, grasping onto it tightly as the parents watched in pain at their son being brought back to the fray. Andromeda hissed in annoyance as Bellatrix marched her forward with her wand stuck into the base of her spine, sending out a jolt of a hex to make the witch jump in pain every other step.

"Oh Nymphadora," Lord Voldemort sighed "your determination to remain defiant impresses me. I wouldn't expect less from yourself, though I would have thought your sanity may have started to dwindle at least slightly at Bellatrix's hand by now. Or perhaps it has. Perhaps this is why you would try something as idiotic as this?" with a flick of his wand both Nymphadora and Remus were on their knees before him, each hissing at the sudden impact of the hard ground hitting their knees. "I have been merciful, Nymphadora. Merciful to all of you. I have ensured your family is safe, that you are out of the dungeon, that you are fed. Have I not done you a kindness in this, Nymphadora?"

Nymphadora stared at the ground, refusing to look up at the man that was talking to her. Instead she concentrated on the feel of her husband's hand in hers, the feel of the grass beneath her knees, still slightly damp from the mornings rain. It was with a gasp of pain from the witch and a grunt of discomfort from the wizard that a curse flew between the two, forcing each of them away from each other to fall to their sides.

"It's polite to answer when someone asks you a question, Nymphie." Bellatrix grinned, resting her chin on her sisters shoulder as she stuck her wand into her gut.

"Bella—" Andromeda swallowed her words as a small curse ran through her, forcing herself not to grip on more tightly to her grandson as she bit back her cry of discomfort.

"Stop it!" Dora yelled, her dark hair flashing red.

"Why?" Bella pouted, smirking as she pulled her wand away from her sister. She relished in her gasp of pain for a moment before trailing her wand teasingly across Teddy Lupin's small back.

"Bellatrix." Voldemort barked, watching her pull her wand away again as she looked to her master awaiting instruction "Take them into the grand hall, I will join you momentarily . . . Summon Rabastan to help you before you attempt to move them." The man walked a few paces before he turned, turning to Bellatrix and Rodolphus "And I expect to find them conscious and breathing . . . for now."

The Death Eater couple mirrored their 'My Lord's of obedience before they watched him disappear. "Summon Rabastan." Bellatrix growled as her husband obeyed, the witch looking to Nymphadora in fury as she pushed Andromeda out of the way and strode over to her "You insolent, embarrassing, disgusting, piece of filth!" she screeched, a sudden flurry of her wand a stream of light hit the girl square in the chest. As her niece started gasping for hair, clawing at her chest, Bella bent down and grabbed the neckline of her dress and brought her face to mere inches of her own. "You _dare_ try and trick me into an escape? Dare to be so defiant to The Dark Lord himself?!" Bella shook her violently, releasing the curse that was currently restricting her chest "ANSWER ME!"

Nymphadora spluttered for air, forcing herself to look straight into the crazed heavy lidded eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange "You're insane." The girl hissed, gasping in pain as without warning a Cruciatus curse surging through her body. For all her determination it wasn't long before a blood curdling scream left her lips, her hair shooting to white and her eyes bulging wide.

"Bellatrix!" Rabastan yelled, laughing in amusement as his sister-in-law dropped the curse on the shivering young witch "Was there a party I wasn't invited to?"

Bellatrix wrinkled her features in disgust, growling in annoyance as she pulled herself to her feet. She reached down and grasped tightly onto the witches hair, pulling her to her feet as she ignored the girls involuntary whimpers of pain. "Come on." Bellatrix spat, storming ahead of the rest of them as she pulled the girl staggering behind her as the metamorphmagus grasped onto her hands to try to regain some stability. No-one said a word as Bellatrix dragged the witch through the manor, both Rabastan and Rodolphus struggling to keep up with her whilst hoarding their own prisoners into the great hall of Malfoy Manor. "I'm going to kill him." Bellatrix snarled, pulling Nymphadora infront of her before with one swift kick to her chest the girl fell in a cry of pain to the floor.

"Who?" Rabastan frowned, slightly out of breath as he threw Remus to the floor of the middle of the hall "What have I missed?"

"Diggory let himself get overthrown by Nymphie and her band of idiots." Rodolphus rolled his eyes.

"Diggory?" Rabastan snorted "Why was she left alone with—" the man stopped short as Bellatrix snapped her steely glare at the man, Rabastan instantly throwing his hands up in defence. "Yeah, kill him. Great idea."

"Not necessary." The cold voice filled the room, Lord Voldemort walking up from behind his Death Eaters as each dropped to the floor in a uniform bow "He's dead already. Fool could not even excuse his own idiocy." Voldemort stopped short of Nymphadora, flourishing his wrist as Nymphadora was dragged to her knees to face the man "He is but the first of the deaths your foolishness has caused tonight, Nymphadora. What do you have to say to that, Nymphadora?"

Dora took a shaky breath, clenching her fists before she forced herself to meet the mans cold stare "P—Please. Let my family go. You don't need them."

Voldemort drew his wand, pointing it towards Andromeda Tonks as without his eyes leaving the shivering witch in front of him as he levitated Teddy Lupin from Andromeda's arms. Each of the three captives yelled their protests, soon quietened by Voldemort's yell of 'Silence' before he sent the child to Rabastan. "Take him to Narcissa, then promptly return."

"Please." Dora whimpered, watching her son leave the room in the Death Eater's arms. "I—I'll do as you ask; I won't defy you. I won't defy Bellatrix. Just _please_ , leave my family alone."

The man shook his head, sighing in mock disappointment as he watched the once powerful Order member and Auror reduced to tears on her knees before him. "That was the original deal, Nymphadora." Voldemort breathed "You would work for me, you would let Bellatrix train you, your family would remain unharmed . . . You broke that deal, Nymphadora."

"So kill _me_!" Dora yelled "Punish me!"

"Nymphie doesn't listen, My Lord." Bellatrix purred, a cruel smirk on her features as she spoke in a voice of all childlike innocence "I tried to teach her, I tried to control her defiance, yet she does not listen, My Lord. I would suggest other methods."

"I believe I would be inclined to agree, Bella." Voldemort spoke in a dead voice, staring at the woman for a few moments before he turned to face Rodolphus and Bellatrix, smirking as Rabastan returned to the room. "What would you suggest, hmm?"

"Let me kill them." Bellatrix pouted "Please, My Lord. You have a metamorphmagus in the boy, he can be raised and trained a fresh."

"No!" Remus yelled, his voice full of sudden energy as he glared at the deranged witch "Leave Teddy alone! The boy needs his mother, if you must kill anyone, kill me."

Voldemort laughed coldly, shaking his head at the man's wife's cries "No! Not Remus! Not anyone! KILL ME!"

"Oh Nymphadora," Voldemort shook his head, his three Death Eaters beaming with sick amusement behind him "whilst your willingness to die amuses me, I do not wish to kill you today. Though someone must pay for your follies. How about your mother?" Voldemort didn't skip a beat as he pointed his wand to Andromeda, twisting his wand as the woman screamed in agony, the audible crack of bones sounding above her pain. "Or your husband?" with another twist of his wand Remus let out a guttural yell, clawing at his chest.

"STOP IT!" Dora cried "Please . . . . Please, My Lord."

The yells of pain instantly stopped, Voldemort raising a hairless eyebrow of amusment at the young witch "Good . . . I will do you one last kindness, for your submission . . . Choose who dies, Nymphadora." Dora shook her head through her tears, her whole body shaking in the pain and trauma of the events of the day.

"Dora . . ." Remus spoke softly, repeating himself again as he watched his broken wife turn to him in her pain, his own eyes beginning to fill with tears "it's okay. You need your mother, Teddy needs his mother, it's okay. I love you."

Dora shook her head, her face contorted in her pain filled tears "Remus . . ."

"Just kill me!" Andromeda cried from the floor, pulling herself up as best she could on her broken limbs to look to the crazed amused stare of her eldest sister "You want to, I _know_ you want to. So kill me."

"I prefer the idea of not having another werewolf running around the manor." Rabastan muttered to his brother, ignoring the older Lestrange's eye roll at his remark.

"Mum . . ." Dora cried out as she felt arms go around her waist, clearly a signal to move she had missed as she had been looking frantically between her family.

"Shhhhh, Nymphie." Bellatrix purred, kissing the girls cheek as she held her painfully close.

Dora watched in horror as Lord Voldemort stepped forward, stopping for a moment before he turned to face Remus Lupin. The old werewolf looked to his wife, the girl whimpering through chocked sobs "Remus, I—I love you."

"I love you, Dora." Remus breathed, ignoring the hard wood of the wand pressed to his temple. All fear left his features, a weak smile full of love and comfort for his wife the last thing that crossed the old mans lip's.

" **Avada Kedavra**!" Voldemort hissed.

"No!" Nymphadora shrieked, her scream of emotional agony echoing across the room as she struggled fiercely against Bellatrix's grasp. Her ears were filled with the sound of Bellatrix's amused giggles as she struggled, sobbed and yelled out for her lost husband, already limp on the ground as the light left his eyes. "Remus!" Dora cried, her body starting to lose its strength against the hold of her deranged Aunt as she could do nothing but stare in disbelief and horror. The woman didn't realise as a silencing spell was placed on her, her tears of anguish soon inaudible though she still shook hysterically in her pain against her Aunt.

"Aww," Bellatrix bit her lip, holding back more hysterical laughter through her childish tones "it's okay, Nymphie."

"Bellatrix." Voldemort called, the woman looking up from the broken witch as her arms snaked around her to further secure her to herself "Nymphadora can spend a day in the dungeons to think over the consequences of her actions. Rodolphus, return Andromeda to the prisoners wing. I will not tolerate another attempt at escape on either of your watch, understood?"

"Yes, My Lord." They both spoke in unison, though the look of amusement was soon wiped at the stern words from her master.

Dora didn't notice the Dark Lord leaving, nor him lifting the silencing spell on her, barely registered herself being pulled to her feet. It was only as she was dragged towards the exit of the room that she started to protest again, crying to be with her husband as Bellatrix began to struggle to pull her with her physical strength alone. Nymphadora Lupin didn't realise as a wand was pressed to her temple, the world simply going black around her. It was only as she woke hours later, her face pressed to the cold stone of the Malfoy Manor dungeons, that she realised she had been knocked out. Though she didn't care. She didn't want to care, didn't want to feel anything at all. The mousey browned haired witch cried anew, wrapping her arms around herself as she could only think of her husband, her best friend, her one true love.

"Oh, Remus . . ." Dora sobbed "I'm sorry . . . I love you, Remus . . ." a shaky breath let the witches lip, defeat washing over her as she spoke one last time in whispered sorrow before she let her emotional agony take over to hide in the darkest corners of her mind to escape the pain. "Please come back . . ."


	9. Aftermath of Capture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pain and suffering--that's been my favourite line tonight XD I should be asleep but I'm not sooooo yeah XD

Andromeda did not speak as Rodolphus marched her back to the prisoners' ward, biting her lip to keep back her cries at the pain he was causing her. He scowled as he half dragged her through the ward. "Perhaps you should tell Nymphie that escape is useless? Though if the death of her beloved beast doesn't break her, I'm sure we could find other ways."

The witch did not answer, trying to stand up straight as she knew some of her ribs were broken. "You'd better hope it does," she finally said, glaring at him. "If she lost Teddy, she would never consent to be trained as a Death Eater, and if she lost me, well—she would lose herself."

"That sounds beautiful," Rodolphus chuckled, and Andromeda got a very awful feeling from the man. "Whether the girl is better sane or not remains to be seen. Though we know that once you've lost the plot there's no going back."

"You won't break her," Andromeda said sharply. "She'll suffer and do what she must, but she won't break."

Rodolphus raised an eyebrow. "Andy, darling, there are a lot of things that you don't understand about us. We can break anyone." He turned and walked away, leaving the witch there in the hall alone.

Andromeda leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm herself and settle her pain before she went to her room. A door opened down the hall and she turned to see Narcissa looking out of her room.

"Dromeda?" Narcissa asked cautiously. "Oh dear. Where are Dora and the werewolf?"

"He's dead," Andromeda said, then frowned. "Where's Teddy?"

"Oh." Narcissa looked away for a moment, then sighed, "Teddy's in my room. Come on."

Andromeda sighed, gasping in pain slightly as she breathed too deeply and disturbed her injured ribs. "He was killed right before her eyes, and Dora's locked in the dungeon for the night."

Narcissa looked at her older sister, then wrapped her arms around the witch. "We've all lost our husbands," she muttered. "Just hope that we won't lose our children. It shouldn't be like this."

The older witch sighed. "You warned us, but you know we had to try."

The blonde woman nodded sympathetically. "But you don't understand the Dark. I've been here for years, Andromeda. You can't get away."

"I did once."

"Well, our father wasn't the Dark Lord," Narcissa frowned.

"He was as bad as," Andromeda said sharply, then bit her lip as Teddy stirred.

Narcissa glared at her sister. "If he cries, you will take him to your room and not disturb me. I love the brat but he was inconsolable earlier and I do not relish rocking him to sleep again."

Andromeda couldn't even manage a smile at her sister's words, sighing deeply. "You know she's going to be an emotional disaster when she comes back here," she said. "I don't even have pathetic words of comfort for her."

"You have all night to work on it," Narcissa said drily, and Andromeda gasped, offended. "Well, I only meant that—Andromeda, don't look at me like that. Optimism is not one of my strengths at the moment."

"You need Mother to yell some Black pride back into you," Andromeda told her firmly. "Or just to remember that you still represent the House of Malfoy. That you need to remember who you are!"

"Hush," Narcissa said, turning away. "I know who I am. If I do not feel sympathy for Nymphadora, it is because I do not  _want_  to."

Andromeda bit her lip. "Oh. I'm sorry. I'll go...do you want me to take Teddy?"

Narcissa glanced at the child sleeping in the middle of her bed. "No. I'll take care of him. And come back here. I've got to see if there's anything I can do to remedy that curse."

"Thanks," Andromeda sighed, but Narcissa simply shook her head and didn't reply.

* * *

Nymphadora was curled in the farthest corner of the dungeons from the door, sobbing softly as she whimpered her dead husband's name over and over. She couldn't bear the thought of him being gone, hearing him say he loved her for the last time—Dora sobbed again, burying her face in her arms as she held her legs close to her, trying to muffle her sounds.

She was grateful that it was pitch black, that she couldn't see anything. She didn't want to see anything, or feel anything, though her body ached from her aunt's curses and from her hysterical sobbing. Dora shivered with the cold, trying to rub her arms to keep warm, but the cold crept beneath her robes and into her heart until she couldn't help just breaking down into tears yet again, miserable beyond description.

It was just after morning light—though the witch did not know this—that Rodolphus Lestrange was persuaded to retrieve the girl from the dungeons. Nymphadora barely moved when the door opened, though she hid her face from the light, a small sound of misery escaping her.

"Is it that bad, Nymphie?" Rodolphus pouted, pretending to be concerned. "Come on. It's time to go back to Mummy and baby Teddy." He walked across the dungeons, pointing his wand at the crumpled up witch. "Get up, Nymphadora."

She did not move, did not acknowledge him, and he scowled in annoyance, walking closer and sending a stinging hex through her body. Nymphadora gave a small gasp, opening her painfilled eyes and looking up at him."Get up," he growled.

"Can't," the girl gasped. "Can't walk...too weak."

"You will not pull that one on me, little Nymphie," Rodolphus sighed. "I don't believe it." He grabbed her hair and dragged her to her feet, the girl sagging against him. "Stand up," he glared at her. "I refuse to hold you up." He surged a Curse through her body when she didn't obeyed, and the witch shrieked, writhing in pain as she slipped to the floor.

"I can't," Dora sobbed. "I'm not lying. I haven't eaten, I haven't slept, and I can't do it!"

Rodolphus growled in annoyance, still sure she was lying, though he yanked her to her feet again, his arm around her waist as he held her close, his hot wandtip burning into her side. "If you try anything, there will be punishment," he warned her, a small smirk creeping onto his lips.

The girl seemed to be able to move as he helped her stay upright, though he was more annoyed than ever with Bella for not moving the girl herself. Bellatrix would have had much more fun with the brat anyway.

They stopped in a hall that the girl didn't remember, and Rodolphus marched her through a doorway, preparing himself to be laughed at for the millionth time. To his great relief, there weren't any Death Eaters in the kitchen, and he shoved Nymphadora into a chair, calling for food to be brought to her.

"I'm not hungry!" the girl said stubbornly.

"You will eat," Rodolphus told her sharply. "Or I will make you. And think of your child. You wouldn't want to grow so emaciated that he died at your lack of care, would you, Nymphadora?"

The girl was shivering, and he rolled his eyes at her when she lifted a shaking hand and forced herself to eat. "You are pathetic," he sighed as he decided to stand beside her, leaning against the table.

She didn't reply, eating as though she were starved, and Rodolphus sighed in annoyance as he waited. After a bit, he couldn't help reaching out and brushing her hair back, making her jump in fright. "Don't touch me," she hissed.

"Your hair was in your face," he shrugged. "I mean, if you want to eat your hair, then go ahead..."

"Shut up," Dora growled at him. "Why do you have to be so awful?"

"Me?" Rodolphus said in pretend offense. "Awful? Dora, how could you?"

She glared at him and he chuckled as she spoke. "Is it Bella who makes you this way?"

Rodolphus looked at her for a moment thoughtfully. "Probably not. I've never been any other way. Not that I can remember."

"You can always change-"

"Change," Rodolphus sneered at her. "All of us would like to experience a change in you, Nymphie, whether it be mind or morph. As for me, I chose to be a Death Eater. It's an honour to serve the Dark Lord. Now come on. Back to Mum you go." He caught Dora by the arm, shaking his head as she was able to better walk. "Hmm," he mused to himself wordlessly, running his wand down Dora's side and laughing as she shivered.

"Stop," she whispered.

"But...I was going to heal you," Rodolphus pouted, laughing at her expression. "Don't you want to be healed, Dora?"

She looked at him, half wanting to say yes, half not trusting him to do as he said. Rodolphus shook his head in amusement. "You do know, Nymphadora, that I can do whatever I want with you. Whatever I want to do, I can. And if you hold still, you can make the pain go away. Don't you want to be free of it?"

She looked away from him, and he smirked. "I know you do. Here." With a few motions of his wand, she felt a lot better, her body no longer aching as much as it had, though her heart still hurt. "No trick," he said softly in her ear. "Now let's go, Nymphie, before Bella decides to come see how well I've done my job."

"Were-were you supposed to heal me?" she asked, biting her lip.

"I wasn't ordered not to," Rodolphus shrugged. "A little kindness for you to remember whenever you think I'm 'awful.'"

Nymphadora couldn't help a weak grin, though she sniffed and relaxed slightly as he took her to the prisoners' ward. The moment she saw her mother walk out of her room, she couldn't help remembering Remus and beginning to cry all over again. Rodolphus groaned. "Come get her, Andromeda. I had her all calm, and then you made her cry."

Andromeda glared at him, rushing forward. "Get away from my daughter," she hissed at him. She pulled the sobbing witch into her arms, cradling her close as she shot defiant looks at the man who'd brought her back.

"Dromeda, you don't frighten me in the least," Rodolphus chuckled. "Even Bella doesn't really scare me anymore. You can do your ex-Black best, and I won't care at all."

"Mum," Dora sniffed, "let's go to my room."

"Shh," Andromeda said softly, watching the man until he had left them alone in the hall. The instant they walked into Dora's room, the witch began to cry hysterically again, and Andromeda cradled her close. "Dora, I'm so sorry," Andromeda whispered, hugging her daughter tightly. "I wanted it to be me..."

"He's gone," Dora choked, clenching both fists. "What do I do now?"

Andromeda didn't speak for a while, holding her daughter close as they sat on the bed. "I don't want to do this," Dora sniffed after a long while. "Mum, I'd rather die than be a Death Eater."

The older witch nodded, then said, "But Teddy needs you, Dora."

"He needs both of us," Dora cried, jumping up and glaring at her mother. "I can't do this alone!"

"Dora," Andromeda said softly, raising a hand. "You are not alone-"

"I have always been alone!" the girl cried. "Alone at school, alone in the Order, alone in the Office, alone here-now I don't even have R-Remus to talk to!" her voice rose to a shriek, a frame rattling on the wall.

"Nymphadora, calm your magic," Andromeda said sternly. "You will hurt all of us if you lose control."

Dora stared at her mother, half amused. "I don't think losing control matters to them, does it? I'll be used whether I'm sane or not. Well, I don't want to be like Bellatrix!" Her voice was a shriek again, the girl's hair a strange combination of black, red, and white. "I can't do this! I'd rather die-I wish they'd just kill me!"

Andromeda watched her daughter pace the floor, hysterical tears streaming down the girl's face as she cried bitterly. She could not think of a single thing to say to the bereaved witch, sighing and looking down at the floor. "Dora, please, come sit down," Andromeda pleaded.

"No," Nymphadora hissed. "I don't want to be calm, I don't want to sit down, and I don't-leave me alone, Mother!"

"Dora," Andromeda breathed, unable to believe how hysterical her daughter was, though she couldn't blame her at all.

"Go away," Dora sniffed, leaning against the wall. "You don't understand."

"Understand?" Andromeda glared back at the younger witch. "Because I've never lost anyone in my life, of course."

Nymphadora stared at her, then turned away from her mother. "Leave me alone," she shrieked in agony of mind as she clenched her fists. "Just leave me alone!"

Andromeda jumped in shock when the door of the room open and Narcissa walked in, looking around the room before she went straight to Nymphadora and slipped her arm around the girl's waist. Nymphadora buried her face in the witch's shoulder and simply cried.

The witch seated on the bed sighed, shaking her head slightly. Narcissa looked up and caught her eye. "Teddy is awake. Go take care of him," she said, and Andromeda rolled her eyes before hurrying out of the room.

Nymphadora wrapped her arms around the woman, glad for a silent embrace. She didn't say anything until she whispered, "I need to sit down."

Narcissa helped her to a seat on the bed, letting her sit there quietly until she finally calmed down to merely sniffing back her tears. The blonde witch gave her a tissue, and the girl whispered a thank you before giving a tired yawn. "Sleep," Narcissa said to her quietly. "Where are your nightgowns?"

Dora looked up and motioned behind both of them to a chair on the other side of the room. She saw a look of slight disapproval on the witch's face, but the nightgown was soon in Dora's hands and she changed into it quickly, crawling beneath the sheets as Narcissa carefully arranged them around her.

"Stay," Dora whispered when the blonde witch stepped back. "Stay."

"I can't," Narcissa replied, then sighed slightly when she saw the girl's face fall, Dora closing her eyes to stop more tears. "Okay," she agreed reluctantly. She slipped beneath the sheets, deciding that Dora probably did need company. "Nymphadora," she said softly, "I know I don't see your view on different things, but I've loved and lost as well. I'm sorry, dear."

"Thanks," Dora sniffed, looking up at the witch gratefully. "Thank you for staying."

Narcissa smiled weakly. "I will always stay, Nymphadora. It is my place." She allowed the girl to lean her head against her shoulder and stroked the girl's tangled hair gently. Nymphadora was asleep before half an hour had passed, her body finally reaching its limit of strength.

* * *

Hours later, Andromeda jumped awake, feeling someone's magic against the wards. Her eyes flew open, the witch trying to throw the blanket off as she remembered she was watching over Teddy in Narcissa's room. A shriek of fright escaped her as she saw a shadowy figure raise a wand and walk toward her.

A cackle of laughter told Andromeda exactly who it was, and she hissed, "Bellatrix!"

"Of course," the witch purred. "Now where did Narcissa get to? Has she taken to sleeping with Draco? Does he need Mummy?" Bellatrix glanced over to the cot. "Oh dear," she pouted. "Why isn't Nymphie taking care of her own cub? Is she sad?"

"What do you want?" Andromeda glared at her, scrambling backward on the bed.

"Dromeda, don't be scared," Bella sighed, tugging on a strand of her dark hair thoughtfully. "As long as Nymphie behaves now, no one else has to die."

Andromeda continued to glare at her, and Bella huffed. "Where's your sister? She should be in her own room, though she probably got them confused. Hard to see through all that sorrow, I'm sure. I wouldn't know. Tell me where she is, Andromeda."

The brown-haired witch bit her lip, then muttered, "She was talking to Dora. They probably fell asleep together."

"Ew," Bella shuddered. "I never thought she'd be one to associate with those like you, but then I never believed you'd turn out as you did...you've been a bad influence, Andy."

"I haven't been anywhere near her," Andromeda muttered, pulling the blanket over her as she suddenly felt cold.

"Andy," Bellatrix sighed, "it's your  _actions_. You know how Father used to say that all I ever did was shame the family and all that? I am the only one left still fighting for a pureblood cause. Every other Black has fallen."

The younger witch pressed her lips together for a moment, then replied, "Don't sound so sane, Bella. It's unbecoming."

Bellatrix giggled. "Oh, Andy, you always say the most grown up things. Unfortunately, no one is around to listen." She turned and walked from the room, excited to see what trouble she could stir up while extracting Narcissa from Nymphadora's room.

As she entered her niece's room, she lit her wand, approaching the sleeping witches silently. She frowned slightly, seeing Narcissa's arms around the girl, tearstains on Nymphadora's face. "Well, if you'd behave," Bella hissed at her indignantly. She sent a strong  _Crucio_  through Narcissa, immediately silencing the woman as she jolted awake with a screech of agony.

"Bella," choked the witch silent, gasping for breath. "What now?"

"I just wanted to say hi," Bella grinned at her, tilting her head slightly. "No, where's the fun in that? Come with me. You have to stay with Delphi, not Dora, tonight. The Dark Lord has need of me...I think I'm in trouble, Cissa." Bellatrix giggled delightedly, holding back more hilarity as Dora shifted uneasily in her sleep. "Come on," Bella whined, pouting at her sister. "She's crying and I can't leave her with Rodolphus for too long...he gets angry." She smirked, twirling her wand around her fingers, her wandlight flashing erratically around the room.

Narcissa sleepily slipped out of the bed, sighing as she realised she was still fully dressed. Bellatrix shook her head at the witch, then performed a couple spells on the younger witch to make her more presentable. "You know, I never thought I'd actually have to use those on you," she told Narcissa. "You always did that to me."

The blonde woman did not reply, standing there silently until Bellatrix prodded her with the tip of her wand. "Let's go," she commanded, and Narcissa walked before her from the room and down the hall.

Bellatrix felt a small flicker of sympathy for her littlest sister, but it paled drastically in comparison to her love for her master. She was so happy in her thoughts of her immediate future that she did not hear a door open behind her, did not see her nephew look out at the two of them, his face confused and angry as he watched his mother walk away before her own sister, a prisoner.


	10. Converted

Nymphadora Lupin stretched out on the bed, reaching out for a warm body next to her before she remembered the tragedy of the past days. A dry sob racked her body, having already cried far too much to let any more tears flow though her heart was numb. "Remus . . ." Dora whimpered, her eyes opening slightly as she drew what was once Remus' pillow to herself. She breathed deeply as she buried her face in the fabric, her limp mousey brown hair falling over her face.

"Dora . . . ?" Andromeda breathed, mere minutes later as she looked to her only daughter whilst cradling her grandson within her arms. Dora gave a mumble of acknowledgement, shifting on the bed until she managed to pull herself into a seated position.

"Mum . . ." Dora breathed, her eyes immediately falling on the sandy brown haired boy currently grasping at his grandmothers necklace. "I—Does he need feeding?"

"He is due a feed." Andromeda walked over to the bed, sitting down as she adjusted the boy in her arms. "We have one last bottle for the moment. I could get it, but—"

"But for all we know I could be gone the next instant and you'd be left without anything." She held her arms out for the boy, chewing her lip as Andromeda passed Teddy to her. "Wotcher baby," Dora sniffed, smiling sadly as she adjusted her dress to let the boy find his meal before leaning back against the headrest. "there you go, Teddy Bear."

The two witches sat in silence as little Teddy Lupin drank hungrily from his mother's breast, grasping his small fingers onto his mothers offered hand seemingly unfazed by the single tear that fell onto his locks. "I—" Dora took a deep breath to stop her renewed tears, smiling gratefully as Andromeda reached out and wiped away the next tear threatening to fall with the pad of her thumb. The mother and daughter stared into each other's identical eyes, neither one quite knowing what to say. "I'm sorry, mum. I didn't mean to scream at you last night."

Andromeda smiled sadly, sitting back as she watched the girl bring her contented son to her shoulder to wind him. "It's fine."

"It's not." Dora shook her head, rubbing Teddy's back. "We're in this together, we have to stick together. Though, I'll admit I was surprised Narcissa came and stayed . . ."

"I was to start with, though the more you think about it the more it makes sense." Andromeda sighed. "She's clearly as good as disowned now, Bellatrix called her my sister—not hers or ours, _my_ sister."

Dora frowned, pulling her gaze from her son to look at her mother "I— . . . When did Bellatrix say that?"

"Last night." Andromeda shrugged. "I'm surprised she didn't wake you, she came in here and got Narcissa to look after Delphi and left."

"Ergh." Nymphadora shuddered. "I'm never going to sleep again."

"Don't be dramatic. I—" Andromeda reached out and grasped onto her daughter's knee, looking towards the magic hitting the wards.

"W—Who is it?"

"Bellatrix . . ." Andromeda tried to get off of the bed but was soon stopped by a firm grip on her shoulder, looking back to see Dora kissing Teddy's head before pressing him into her. "Dora—" Andromeda wanted to protest, though from the determined stare in her daughter's eyes she knew that she was not in the mood to argue. So she took the boy into her arms, watching Dora get up off the bed and walking to the mirror, trying to ignore the sounds of Narcissa's bedroom door slamming shut. "She's probably just bringing Narcissa back. She may not even be interested in you today."

"Chance would be a fine thing." Dora mumbled, morphing her currently tangled mousey brown hair to a much shorter style of the same colour to stop herself looking quite so rough. Both witches winced as the door to Narcissa's room slammed again, listening out to the sound of Bellatrix's heels undoubtedly storming closer to their own door.

"Nymphie! Rise and shine!" Bellatrix called, pouting as she opened the door. "Aw, having a meeting of widows?" the woman wrinkled her nose in disgust as Teddy Lupin mewled from his grandmother's arms. "What's the fatherless brat whining about, hmm?"

"He's fine." Dora clenched her fists, forcing herself not to glare at the woman. "What do you want?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically as she crossed her arms. "I want to _play_ , Nymphie."

"Run out of idiots to come get me? Had to resort to getting me yourself?"

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, walking over to the witch and grasping onto her arm tightly. "Thanks to _somebody's_ antics only inner circle can move your bastard family around for the foreseeable future. Now," Dora hissed in pain as she felt Bella give her a taste of a Cruciatus, the spell viciously jolting up the arm she was holding "seeing as the boys are busy and I don't feel like running around finding people I'm stuck getting you. So _move_ before I get frustrated with you any further."

The younger witch gasped as Bellatrix released the spell, trying to pull her arm away to no avail. " _Fine_. I don't need you holding my arm to get me there."

"Fine." Bellatrix hissed, pushing her girl towards the door as she let her go, her heavy-lidded gaze lingering on the sight of her once sister. "There are more people ready to send to slaughter if you try to run again, I suppose."

Nymphadora led herself to what Bellatrix had dubbed her playroom, occasionally feeling a wand jabbing into her back to speed her up until she finally reached the door. Dora stepped to the side, holding back a glare as the Death Eater opened the door, pulling the girl through the wards before she joined her. "You look far too spirited, Nymphie." Bellatrix sighed, backing the girl into a wall after she had closed the door. "Roddy said you were all broken when he picked you up yesterday, what happened?"

The metamorphmagus pulled her head back as Bellatrix's wand traced her jawline, glaring furiously as the witch grabbed her firmly by the chin, her long nails digging into her pale flesh. "Remus would turn in his grave if he thought I lost my spirit because of him."

"Ha!" Bellatrix cackled, pushing the girl away before she walked to the other side of the room. " _Darling._ He's a pile of ashes somewhere in the grounds, not quite sure where abouts—one of the snatchers got rid of him for us."

"Well, he did always prefer the idea of cremation." Dora glared, speaking through gritted teeth as she forced herself not to fall apart in front of Bellatrix. She knew Remus would want her to remain strong.

"Hmmm." Bella raised an eyebrow at the girl before drawing Nymphadora's wand from her robes and throwing it at her. "Come on Nymphie, we've got an hour."

"Why the time constraint?" Dora frowned, reflecting an unannounced hex from the woman.

"Because you have a meeting with The Dark Lord." Bellatrix yawned, smirking after she noticed the look that just flashed across her niece's face. "Scared, Nymphie?"

"No." Dora spluttered. "Why does he want me?"

"You don't question the Dark Lord, Nymphadora." Bellatrix glared.

"I'm not questioning him, I'm questioning you." Dora glared back, firing a hex at the woman only to have her shriek in amusement as she deflected it.

Dora turned suddenly as the door behind her opened, moving as far out of the way as she could to put enough distance between herself, Bellatrix and Rabastan. She looked to her Aunt, trying to think of what to say or do without asking the hundred questions she had as to why he was there. 

"Nymphie," Rabastan smirked. "Lovely to see you alive and well." Dora bit back a glare, though soon knew her hair had betrayed her anger at the man by the melodic tune of his chuckles mixing with Bellatrix's childlike giggles. "Why did you need me here, Bellatrix?"

"Because it seemed sensible." Bella pouted.

"Since when did you do anything because it seemed sensible? Besides, why can't you call Rod?"

"Because Delphi has decided she's attached to him this morning. Merlin knows why."

"Oh, I suppose he's ecstatic about that." Rabastan laughed.

"He has no choice." Bellatrix sighed, tilting her head to the side to look to Nymphadora. "Nymphie?" the girl raised an eyebrow at her in response. "Tell me about Auror training. How do the wimps train more wimps?"

"It's a secret," Dora growled.

"Aw, no fun." Rabastan pouted, walking over to stand next to Bellatrix.

"They teach you unforgivables, no?" Bellatrix purred.

"W—We're only authorised to use them in extreme circumstances." Dora hesitated, she didn't like where this was going.

"Well that doesn't sound very fun." Rabastan frowned.

"Show me." Bellatrix folded her arms, nodding to Rabastan.

"Hey!" Rabastan looked both offended and shocked at the suggestion as he narrowed his eyes at his sister-in-law "I am not here to be some puppet in your games, Bellatrix! Rodolphus is your go-to push around, _not me_."

"You know I make a rule of not killing people, but I think I could make an exception to the rule for once." Dora adjusted her grip on her wand, ignoring her Aunts amused cackle.

"You are not using a killing curse." Rabastan snapped.

"No." Bellatrix giggled. "Cruciatus."

"I—" Dora swallowed "I don't—I haven't—Well I've only ever—"

"Aww, is Nymphie scared she can't do it?" Bella giggled.

"Or is she worried she'll enjoy it?" Rabastan grinned. "Oh look at her face Bella, she _is_ worried!"

"Aww, Nymphie scared to get in touch with her dark side?" Bella giggled, pocketing her own wand. "You couldn't hurt us if you tried. So go on, give it a go."

"I don't want—" That was a lie and Dora knew it. "I can't." she snapped, another lie.

"You can and you will," Bellatrix growled. "Come on, you can't be much worse than Potter."

Dora glared, too concentrated on holding her resolve to bother to ask when on earth Harry Potter tried to Crucio Bellatrix Lestrange. She had to hand it to the boy, he did have guts.

"Try it on me, Nymphie." Bellatrix purred as she slipped her wand into its holster, hitting Rabastan in the gut as he murmured something along the lines of being glad to use it on her himself. "Come on Nymphie. I know you can do it." The woman taunted as she walked closer to the younger witch. "I mean, I'm sure you would _love_ to see _me_ in pain. After all I've done to you . . . I was the one that got you brought here in the first place. If I wasn't so desperate for a little play toy perhaps you would have had a greater chance to go into hiding. Teddy would still have his Daddy—you'd be all safe in some little hole somewhere, we may have never even bothered to send people skilled enough to tear the wards on your mother's hovel down. The cub would never have had to grow up around this—if he's allowed to grow up that is, one little conversation in the right place could have him stone cold before he even says his first words. Or I have been quite interested in the effects of the Cruciatus on a child, maybe we should try that, what do you think Raba—"

" **Crucio**!" Nymphadora hissed, jabbing Bellatrix Lestrange in the gut with her wand as she concentrated all of her will and focus into how much she wanted Bellatrix to suffer for what she had done to her. She couldn't help the smirk on her lips as Bella gripped onto her shoulder to keep her steady, laughing through the pain.

"Oh, Nymphie." Bella gasped. "You can do better than that!"

"Fine," Dora growled through gritted teeth, kneeing the woman in the gut to get her away from her before intensifying the curse leaving Bellatrix squirming through her sporadic giggles on the floor.

"I'm not sure if I should be concerned . . . or aroused." Rabastan frowned thoughtfully. It was only as Bellatrix let out a small moan of pain that Rabastan rolled his eyes. He walked over to Nymphie and grabbing her right wrist and squeezing it harshly until she dropped her wand. "You're quite attractive when you do that, Nymphie." Rabastan purred as he rested his chin on Nymphadora's shoulder, watching her chest rise and fall as she tried to catch her breath. "Aww. It wears you out, doesn't it? Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

" _Rabastan_!" Bellatrix hissed, rising to her feet as she stretched out her stiffened joints.

"What?" Rabastan pouted. "You have your fun, I have mine."

"Piss off." Nymphadora tried to wrench away from the man, wincing as he snaked his arm around her waist to stop her getting away from him.

"You've got to keep a tight grip on these things, Bella," Rabastan stated matter of factly. "How else are you going to get her outside without her trying to run off?"

"Ha!" Bellatrix barked, storming over and grabbing the girl from his grip. "Not sure she'd get anywhere with your perverted self in charge."

"She would certainly get _somewhere_." Rabastan chuckled, ignoring the stern look from his sister-in-law before mock saluting her and following her from the room. "Merlin Trixie, one little curse and you're on edge again."

"I am not on edge, merely fed up with your shenanigans." Bellatrix hissed. "Come on."

"Oh Trixie—Trixie and Nymphie." Rabastan sighed. "You know, that sounds like the starts of a great double ac—Ow!"

Bellatrix smirked as she readjusted her grip on her niece after sending a strong hex at the man. "Behave, or I will make you behave, you don't want my Crucio coming your way do you?"

"You're not half as entertaining as you used to be." Rabastan sighed, reaching out and opening the door to the meeting room as Bellatrix pushed the girl in front of them so roughly that the poor girl stumbled to stay on her feet.

"I'm not here for your entertainment, Rabastan." Bellatrix drawled, suddenly twisting her wrist as her spell caused Nymphadora to fall onto her knees with a loud thud and a groan of discomfort.

"No, Nymphie's here for your entertainment though by the looks of things," Rabastan smirked.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, walking over to the girl and considering her carefully as she twirled her own wand between her fingers. "Remember to behave, Nymphie." She bent down, her lips practically touching her niece's ear as she whispered "One word out of place and I won't hesitate to test my unforgivable skills on the entire population of the prisoner's wing."

"Now Bellatrix," The cold voice of Lord Voldemort filled the room, Bellatrix quickly kneeling beside her niece as Rabastan hit the floor just as quickly. "don't let yourself run _too_ freely now."

"Yes, My Lord," Bellatrix smirked, her eyes flickering up as Nymphadora held back the hot sting of bile in her throat at the lust-filled gaze she gave her master.

"Nymphadora," Voldemort said, looking down to the brown haired witch before him. "I take it you've calmed considerably since our last encounter? No more foolish attempts to escape?"

After a seconds silence, Dora choked back a hiss of pain at the discreetly shot hex from her Aunt, biting her lip before she looked up and forced herself to look at The Dark Lord. "No, _My Lord_."

"Good," Voldemort smirked before he looked back to his most faithful servant, gesturing for her to stand. "Now Nymphadora, bare your left arm."

Nymphadora moved her gaze to glare at the floor, her fingers scrunching up at the fabric of her sleeve as she held on tightly. She knew this was coming, she knew it was futile to argue—especially after the events of the last few days, on reflection that was probably why they chose that moment to do it. Suddenly a curse surged through her body, causing her to immediately screech in agony. The now white-haired witch barely felt the pair of arms circling behind her and drawing her thrashing body towards his own as her right arm was pinned to her side. Though she certainly took note of Bellatrix trying to pry her fingers apart to relinquish her grip on her sleeve. Her whole body writhed violently, her cries mingled the sound of her struggles echoing throughout the room. "Stop it!" Dora cried out, twisting in Rabastan's grasp when she heard the rip of material on her arm—she knew her struggles were futile when she no longer had the fabric of her left sleeve to protect her arm. The pain suddenly stopped but her body continued to shudder in pain in exhaustion, slumping back against Rabastan as Bellatrix pulled on her left hand so fiercely she was started to become concerned that her shoulder would pop out of place. Bella's long nails dug into the younger witches wrist so harshly to keep her still that she almost drew blood.

"Nymphadora, this is a great _honour_ that is about to be bestowed upon you." Voldemort hissed, moving his wand to the girl's arm. "Do not be fooled into thinking we believe you deserve such an honour, more that you need to be branded . . . like rogue cattle. This way you can be easily traced, easily called, you are _mine_ , Nymphadora. You belong to me and only to me." He looked to the girl on the floor for a moment, held tightly by Rabastan as her pale skin was covered in perspiration from her struggles and she panted for breath violently. The look of terror on the girl's face was almost amusing. "Hold still, for your own sake. **Morsmordre**."

Nymphadora couldn't help the single sharp sob that left her as the stinging hot sensation focused on her arm, no more painful that the previous curse though the witch was sure she would swap this spell for a Cruciatus any day. She couldn't look. Bellatrix dropped her arm, Dora instinctively pulling her other arm free of Rabastan to cradle her newly marked arm. She barely paid attention to the rest of the conversation The Dark Lord had with the other pair about herself, flinching as Bellatrix threw the tattered fabric of her sleeve back at her. She only dared to look down at the hideous jet black skull and snake writhing proudly on her sore arm once Lord Voldemort had left the room. Rabastan pulled her to her feet, the girl suddenly realising that Bellatrix had seemingly gone with her Lord.

"Don't get any funny idea's Nymphie." Rabastan chimed, though the girl had no plans to do anything apart from getting back to the relative privacy of the room she currently shared with her son. She winced as the man roughly held her just before the wards of the prisoner's ward. "Don't get any smart ideas, you can't carry anyone out of these wards Nymphie, only go in and out alone. Even then, I don't think it would be in your best interests to wander the manor—what with all the rest of us big bad Death Eaters roaming around."

Dora winced as she was thrown through the ward by the man, grasping onto the wall to stop her falling over. As she looked back to glare at the man she realised he had already gone, with a sigh she turned to go back to her room only to stop at the sight of Draco Malfoy staring at her.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Draco murmured, his grey eyes flickering to her left arm momentarily. Only after Dora nodded did he speak again "Use a cooling charm on it, it doesn't kill the pain entirely . . . but it helps."

"I—" Dora took a deep breath, forcing a sad smile for her younger cousin. "Thanks, Draco." The boy merely nodded in acknowledgement before turning to go back into his own room, leaving the witch to stumble in her room to care for herself.

* * *

Nymphadora was sat on her bed, cooing at a now five-month-old Teddy Lupin. He giggled profusely as his mother rubbed his stomach, kissing his bright turquoise curls. "Who's a handsome boy?" Dora grinned, laughing at the boy's giggles "You are! You are adorable!"

Andromeda laughed slightly in amusement as she watched the pair on the bed. "Who's a handsome boy who is going to spit up all of his breakfast if his mother keeps aggravating his stomach like that?"

"Aw, he wouldn't do such a thing to mummy. Would you Teddy?" Dora grinned as she pulled the boy to her lap, kissing his hair repeatedly much to his delight.

"Hmm," Andromeda smirked, a look that was soon wiped off of her face as she watched her daughter hiss in pain as she pulled her left arm into herself. "Give him here." Dora pulled the boy to her shoulder, kissing his head firmly before she walked over and placed the boy gently in her lap. She tried to ignore the whimper of upset as she forced herself to pull away from the boy. "He'll be fine. Go, you know what happens when you dilly dally."

The girl nodded, murmuring 'I love you' to her son as she placed another kiss on his head then placed a quick kiss on her mother's cheek before rushing out of the room towards her call to the dungeons. Though she had become used to being able to walk the manor alone when called, Bellatrix deciding she didn't need a babysitter for her journey to her a couple of months ago, that didn't mean she liked it any less. She ignored the knowing smirks of the Death Eaters she passed on the way, avoiding them as best she could whilst ignoring the throbbing in her arm. "I'm coming, I'm coming." Dora hissed under her breath.

"Careful Nymphie," Rodolphus Lestrange smirked as he met her in the corridor outside the dungeon "people will think Bella's finally turned you insane if you start talking to yourself in the corridors."

"Fat chance." Dora snapped. "What does she want this time?"

"She's downstairs waiting," Rodolphus said. "Come on." He opened the door, gesturing for the girl to go down ahead of him.

The stench of damp and rot filled the air, though those smells did not bother her. It was the clear smell of a freshly dead corpse that filled Nymphadora's nostrils, sticking to the back of her throat as the witch dared not look too closely into the dark room to investigate. Rodolphus nudged into her as he walked by her, muttering a spell as light suddenly filled the room. Dora blinked, wincing in the sudden bright light in the usually dim lit room. She rubbed her eyes, looking around through squinted eyes though wishing the lights were gone still when she saw the evil grin of Bellatrix Lestrange.

The dark witch was leant against the wall, her wand hand casually resting at her side as she giggled. "Nymphie, you have a job to do. You may need a minute first though."

"What?" Dora asked, following her Aunts gaze to the corner of the room before her breath caught in her throat at the source of the smell in the room. She looked to her Aunt then back again, biting her lip once she decided to walk over and investigate. "No!" Dora rushed over as soon as she recognised the once strong warrior before her, falling to her knees as she grasped onto the blood-stained fabric of Kingsley Shacklebolt's robes. "Kingsley . . ." Dora breathed, forcing herself not to openly sob in front of the laughing pair. "What did you do?" Dora growled after reaching her hand out to gently press the man's eyes closed.

"Bella killed him, clearly." Rodolphus rolled his eyes.

"I didn't _mean_ to kill him." Bellatrix pouted. "He wasn't co-operating."

"So you brought me down here to get a reaction out of me!? To entertain your sick and twisted minds!? What!?" Nymphadora stood up, turning to face the pair as her hair turned a vivid red.

" _Oooh_ , Nymphie's getting mad." Bellatrix giggled. "Careful Nymphie or we might have to remind you of your place."

"What do you want?" Dora hissed through gritted teeth.

"Well, you see Nymphie, Shacklebolt was actually rather co-operative—or so we thought." Bella sighed. "Turns out he was helping hide some vital information from us whilst helping some people we would rather not have helped. _Naughty boy_."

"Good for him." Dora glared, ducking out of the way of a stinging hex just in time. "Doesn't quite explain what you need me for though."

"He still held a respectable position in the ministry and we're having problems taming the last of the resistance within the ministry. We believe that Mr Shacklebolt here would be able to tame things a little." Rodolphus shrugged.

"You think I'd do the thing that you killed Kingsley over because he refused to?!" Dora shrieked, frustrated and annoyed. "Are you mad?"

"Yes," Bellatrix stated matter of factly. "Rather proudly so, though _you_ would also have to be mad to think there was any way of you getting out of it."

"Look at it this way, Nymphadora." Rodolphus walked over to his wife as he watched her distressed niece. "If you do this, fewer people will fight—which you of all people must know is futile—therefore fewer people will die. All you have to do is read a little speech in front of some reporters."

"We'll even take you ourselves," Bella smirked as she drew a small piece of parchment from her bra, her gaze lingering on her husbands for a moment before looking back to Dora. "Just read the paper, make it convincing too—or you could just effectively prove yourself useless by not doing as you're told and I get to have a blood bath right in my own home." She laughed as defeat eventually washed over her niece's face, giving a curt nod. "Oh _goody_. Get to morphing."

Minutes later Nymphadora looked the living image of the corpse on the floor beside her, finishing trailing her wand down her clothes as she transformed them to match Kingsley's. It was with a heavy heart that she bent down and gently took the mans hat from him, removing the blood with her wand as best she could before placing it on her head. "Ready," Dora mumbled.

"Oh now Nymphie, you don't sound so confident about that." Bellatrix giggled, holding out the piece of parchment for Nymphadora to read over.

"This is ridiculous," Dora mumbled as she read over the words, barely paying attention as Rodolphus took her arm and lead her out of the dungeon. "He wouldn't say half of this. He didn't talk like that."

"So make it sound believable." Rodolphus paused as he waited for Bellatrix to fetch the floo powder. "Just stick to the main message."

"Just act fast, the minute you step out of the fireplace there will be reporters on the other side." Bellatrix sighed. "Rodolphus will take you, I'll be right behind. I wouldn't want to take the attention off your little selves now would I?"

With a deep breath, Dora looked into the mirror ahead of her, composing herself as she tried not to get lost in the emotions of seeing her fallen friend staring back at her. With a nod she stepped into the fireplace, waiting for Rodolphus to get in and yell their destination. The light was blinding from the minute she stepped out of the other side, camera's flashing as she let the guiding hand of Rodolphus Lestrange lead her away from the fireplace to let Bellatrix through.

"Mr Shacklebolt! What is your announcement?"

"Why have you gathered the press, Mr Shacklebolt?"

"Where have you been the last few days, Mr Shacklebolt?"

"Mr Shacklebolt has prepared a speech!" Rodolphus called out to the rest of the hall, holding back an amused grin as he watched the reporters soon fall silence at his words. He caught the gaze of Bellatrix, watching from the side as all eyes were on the Kingsley Shacklebolt look-a-like, none the wiser to the fact that he had died the previous evening.

Nymphadora cleared her throat, holding the piece of paper in front of her before and looking into the awaiting eyes of the wizarding press in front of her unable to snatch her eyes away from the new statue in the ministry until Rodolphus coughed behind her. "My fellow witches and wizards . . . the past few months have been those of disruption to our daily order here at the ministry and the wizarding world in whole. I have spent the last few days conversing with members close to The Dark Lord—" _yeah, conversing in screams and duels_ _most likely_ thought Dora "—and I am here today to tell you that this must and _will_ stop. You have nothing to fear from this new world order, all we ask is that you remain co-operative with us . . . You will soon find that under our new ruling the world will become a happier place, a better place to be in. One without—" Dora looked down at the parchment again, fighting through the bile slowly rising in her throat "—one without the impurities of mudbloods, without the rebellious threat of those willing to disturb this new peace. It is futile to resist the new order, especially when we only wish to purify our country for the good of you—our people. You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide." Dora forced her expression to remain clear, reminding herself of who she was impersonating as she folded the parchment and placed it in her robes. "Thank you, there will be no questions."

Dora flickered her gaze to Bellatrix, remaining as calm as she could as she felt Rodolphus lean over and mutter in her ear. "We will apparate from your office, Mr Shacklebolt."

Dora nodded, making her way to the Auror office she knew too well, trying to ignore the murmurs and snaps of camera lenses. Bellatrix was soon ahead of them, hexing a poor old man out of the way so she could get straight to the first available lift. The smirk on Bella's face was sickening as Dora looked away from her hand sliding over Rodolphus' shoulder, trying to unsee the look of lust the man gave his wife. She was never more thankful to hear the announcement that they had reached the floor of the Auror office in all of her life.

Dora was again thankful as the two Death Eaters behind her stayed relatively silent, trusting she knew where her old department lay and where the Head Auror office still remained. Once they reached the doors Dora hesitated only slightly before pushing them open. Everything was different-everything was wrong. The far wall that used to be full of posters of wanted Death Eaters was filled with order members and their associates. She quickly scanned the wall, each poster of a witch or wizard that had been captured or killed having a large red stamp stating so.

_Harry Potter: Dead. Remus Lupin: Dead. Molly Weasley: Dead. Fred Weasley: Dead. Nymphadora Tonks Nee Lupin: converted._ She swallowed hard. She'd sooner have 'dead' or 'captured' written on her poster than those big angry red letters that declared her a traitor to her cause. The only comfort she took from the wall was all of the posters of people that were seemingly uncaught and alive-Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Arthur, the rest of the Weasley brothers. She barely got a chance to inspect the rest of the posters as Bellatrix placed her hand deceivingly gently on her arm as she motioned for her to carry on to the office.

Dora didn't look at the other people in the office, ignored their stares and their solemn greetings. This was not the office she had left when the war had begun and it never would be again. "Come on," Dora stared at the office, much darker than she had ever remembered, though perhaps that was merely because it lacked the warm honest soul that had once occupied it. "I want to go back."

"Now that's something I didn't think I'd ever hear." Bellatrix giggled, waiting for Rodolphus to lock the door before grasping onto to Nymphadora and apparating them both back to what was once Malfoy Manor.

* * *

 


	11. Do Me A Favour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Author's Note (5-2-17): *innocent whistle* TRIGGER WARNING! (blessed trigger warning) for violence and suggested things that actually happened. I was feeling very evil when I wrote this. :D I am thrilled (should I be ashamed?) that we have finally reached this chapter. And my cat just died. Happy Battle of Hogwarts Day! :D
> 
> Dora (poor Dora her cat died XD XD XD)
> 
> Present Day Author's Note (5-12-19): Oh dear Lord. Reading this again was a real throwback to the good old days of sweet little Roddy's happy life. Never again, bro. Never again. Ahahahahahahahaha
> 
> Andromeda_Tano

 

Rodolphus stepped into Bellatrix's playroom—he shook his head slightly at her name for it—and saw Bellatrix giggling as she waved a battered, exhausted Nymphadora goodbye. "Not good enough!" she chimed. "Poor Nymphie!"

The door shut on the unfortunate witch, and Bellatrix turned to her husband. "Roddy," she smirked, walking up to him and giggling as she felt a hex surge through her body. "Now," she pouted, "that's not nice. I've been good today!"

"Then you'll come with me quietly," Rodolphus said into her ear in a low voice, his hands stroking her body firmly. "I want you," he growled, shoving her against the wall and kissing her roughly, one hand grasping the front of her dress and ripping it wide open.

"Oh," Bellatrix pouted at him, her arms winding around his neck and pulling him closer. "You know I would...but the Dark Lord wishes for me to attend him this evening." She giggled before kissing her husband deeply as a Curse ran through her body. "Roddy, don't be jealous," she pouted, and he glared at her in rage.

"He always wants you," Rodolphus hissed in fury. "Always! And you never find time for your own husband!"

"It is an honour," Bellatrix said breathlessly, leaning her head back against the wall as she sighed happily. "I am grateful. His daughter has been a blessing—"

Bellatrix shrieked with laughter when he slapped her with his full strength, the witch reaching up to touch her face. Rodolphus strengthened his Curse, pleased that he seemed to have broken her nose with the force of his blow. "Don't do something you'll regret!" Bellatrix cackled with laughter, writhing in her husband's grasp. "I could have you killed, though this is  _so_  much better...or I could send you to the dungeons and play with  _you_  like I did Nymphie until I knew how she would behave. What should I do with you, hmm, Rodolphus?"

The man shoved her away, infuriated at her disrespect. "I hate you," he hissed at her before storming out of the room, her insane laughter following him. He couldn't help but think that every who left Bella's playroom left the same way, destroyed, no matter how she destroyed them. He found himself walking toward the wrong wing of the Manor and frowned as he approached the wards.

An idea came to his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more it appealed to him. Rodolphus raised his left arm to the wards, walking into the prisoner wing of Malfoy Manor and searching for one room in particular: Nymphadora's room. He smirked when he found it, taking a deep breath as he tried to think of how he should approach the girl, though he finally couldn't wait any longer and wrenched the door open, walking into the room.

The girl looked up with a frown, then jumped to her feet in shock, drawing her wand. "What do you want?" she demanded in a shaky tone, and Rodolphus was sure that the witch had been crying, realising that he had probably just missed Andromeda leaving the room.

Rodolphus stared at her for a moment, sure that he looked totally insane to her, though as he flicked his wrist, disarming the witch, she gasped in fear, stepping back from him as she asked, "Rodolphus, what's going on?"

He could see the fear in her eyes, could almost taste the fear radiating from her, and it made him hungry for her. "Going on?" he chuckled, his voice low and husky. "Nothing...yet."

Nymphadora stepped back again, but he lunged forward and grabbed her by the wrists, slamming her against the wall. "Get off me!" she shrieked in horror as his hands slid wandered down her body, the man pressing her firmly into the wall. "Leave me alone!"

"No, Nymphie," he breathed, looking straight into her eyes as he sent a Curse burning through her body. "I will not leave you alone. You are mine." He smirked at her screech of pain, kissing her cheek and on down her neck, biting her in his increasing passion.

"Bellatrix will find out!" Dora choked in her fear as he increased the intensity of his Curse. "She will—"

"She would not believe you, Nymphie," Rodolphus murmured into the girl's ear. "Why would Rodolphus Lestrange want to bed a filthy half-blood like you when he has Bella, hmm?"

Her body seemed to shudder, and he laughed at her struggles, Cursing her yet again as he dragged her over to the bed, throwing her down quickly before he waved his hand to chain her down. Nymphadora stared up at him, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. "Please, no," she sniffed. "Please don't do it—I—I don't know what I've done wrong."

Rodolphus knelt on the bed next to her, thoughtfully splitting her nightdress down the front as she writhed pathetically, trying uselessly to get away. "It's not you," Rodolphus admitted. "Bellatrix angered me, and I thought you'd be a good bit of fun to relieve my...stress."

Nymphadora cringed in horror. "No," she begged, though she shrieked when he ripped her dress from her, smirking at her as he stroked her hip thoughtfully.

"Yes," Rodolphus retorted, half playfully. "You need to behave. That's what Bella always says: that I need to behave. I'm the good one." He shook his head to get himself back on track. "Ah," he said with an evil smirk, "let's free you of that last bit of protection, shall I?"

"Rodolphus," Dora cried, her chest heaving as he removed her garments, leaning in to kiss her warm, soft skin. "No!" A sob escaped her, her entire body trembling as he boldly touched her, sounding pleased at what he had discovered.

"Oh, Nymphadora," he breathed, squeezing her firmly, and she groaned, tears of shame streaming down her face. "Shh," he said, kissing her face and slapping her when she turned away. "If you would cooperate, you would learn to like it," he told her. "I can be kind, but no one knows that, of course. They're all like Bella, and now you."

"I hate you," she breathed, her face draining of colour when he sat back from her, shrugging out of his robe as he smiled condescendingly at her struggles.

"Stop," he pouted at her, and couldn't help noticing how much more terrified she seemed when he mimicked Bellatrix. "Your fear is so arousing, Nymphie…." He sighed, relieved to finally have an outlet for his frustration with Bella as he crawled over Nymphadora, leaning in to kiss her deeply. "Mmm," he groaned, wanting her more than ever as he Cursed her to punish her for struggling against the chains so much. "Nymphadora!"

She was shrieking under the Curse, her head thrown back in agony, and Rodolphus drew a steadying breath to keep himself focused. Nymphadora screamed, her hair turning pure white as he defiled her in the worst way possible. Rodolphus slapped her a couple more times when she misbehaved until she finally gave up, sobbing hysterically as she let him have his way. "Please," she whimpered, and he kissed the corner of her mouth, his breath hot on her face. "Please—"

Rodolphus didn't stop until he was satisfied with his results, yelling out in pleasure and collapsing beside the young, broken witch. He released her from the chains, pulling her into his arms and kissing her head. "I like you," he murmured against her cheek. "You're the only other woman I've had besides Bella. I usually hold myself to a higher standard."

"Let me go," the witch sobbed desperately. "Haven't you had your fun?"

"Nymphie," he pouted, "don't try to get rid of me so easily."

Nymphadora's entire body shook with sobs, the witch writhing against her abuser even though he hadn't Cursed her again. "Oh!" she cried out as she tried to get away from him and found that it now hurt her a lot to move.

Rodolphus waited a few moments, then moved back, laying the witch back down in the bed and kissing her cheek gently. "You're beautiful, Nymphadora," he smirked. "I can't wait until next time." He slid off the bed, robing himself once again and looking back at the broken witch one more time. "Yes, I could definitely make use of you more often." He turned and left the room, smirking proudly at his accomplishments, that he had tamed Nymphadora even for a few moments.

He was very pleased, and when he saw Bella getting ready to leave their room that evening, he ignored her, concentrating on his beautiful memories of what had just happened in the prisoners' wing.

* * *

Nymphadora lay there, crying in horror as she curled on her side, clutching her sheet to cover her body, though her bed now smelled like Rodolphus Lestrange. Her body ached from his rough touch, the witch gasping in pain as she struggled to sit up.

She wrapped her arms around herself, tears spilling down her face as she tried to think of what to do next, how to react. "R—Remus!" she sobbed, longing for his reassurance and gentle embrace. "Oh, Remus!"

Her bruised body didn't want to move, and she summoned her wand, beginning to try to heal all her scratches and bruises. She sniffed back her tears as she tried to concentrate, wanting to do her best to hide all the evidence. The witch finally forced herself to painfully get up from the bed, walking to her wardrobe to find a change of clothes. She knew she must get a bath, as she didn't want her mother to find out what had happened. She didn't want anyone to know that she'd been so horribly used by the one person she'd halfway tolerated since her family's abduction.

Nymphadora turned this way and that, looking in the mirror carefully as she hid and healed her wounds. "No one can know," she breathed as she inspected herself one last time. She grabbed her things and opened the door to her room, chilling in fear as she looked out into the hall before hurrying quickly down the hall into the small bathroom.

She calmed down more as the hot water washed her tears away, rinsing her body clean from Rodolphus' filthy passion. She dressed quickly, gathering her things and hurrying back to her room, wanting to sleep away the memory. Nymphadora held back tears at the thought of crawling back into the bed and was going to throw the sheets off the bed when there came a knock on the door.

"Dora?" Nymphadora chilled in fear before recognising her mother's voice.

"C—come in," Dora called in a small voice, stuffing her torn dress out of sight.

Andromeda walked into the room, looking around in confusion. "You said you were going to bed? Dora, you said you were fine, but if you still couldn't sleep—you could come stay with me. Teddy wants you, I think."

Nymphadora shook her head numbly. "I'm fine, but I can't—I feel that there's too much Dark magic in my system still."

"Do you want me to try again?" Andromeda sighed.

"No!" Dora said quickly, holding back a wince at the pain in her body. "It's enough: I just need rest. I'm sorry I disturbed you."

"Dora," Andromeda began, then stopped, reaching out and stroking the girl's hair out of her face. "I must have missed this," she muttered to herself, looking at Dora's neck just behind her ear. "Another bruise..."

Nymphadora shivered as her mother healed another bruise that she'd missed. "Mum, stop," Nymphadora whispered, putting her hand up. "I just want to rest now. I'll be fine, no matter if you missed one spot or ten."

Andromeda frowned at her daughter, confused. "Why is Rodolphus' signature on you? He helped Bellatrix today?"

The girl nodded wordlessly, looking down as she was grateful she never went into details of her training with her mother. "He—he's mean," she muttered. "I thought he was the best out of all of them, but he's still pure evil."

"D—don't trust anyone," Andromeda said in a strange voice. "Maybe not even me."

"I—" Dora bit her lip. "I trust you."

Andromeda sighed, then reached out and hugged her daughter carefully, making sure not to surprise her. "I love you, Dora, and I will help you with anything you want to talk to me about."

Nymphadora hugged her mother back after momentarily freezing in fright. "Okay," she nodded, faking a yawn and pulling away from her. "I'm tired," she sighed, walking back toward her bed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Andromeda left the room, a very peculiar look in her eyes as she turned away from her daughter. Nymphadora immediately stripped the sheets off her bed, wrapping herself up in only the blanket, frightened as she wondered if Rodolphus would return to her again. Dora curled up on the mattress, shivering in fear as she lay awake long into the night, every sound making her fear that he had come back.

* * *

Nymphadora silently walked the floor with her son a couple days later, shivering slightly as she worried. She knew her mother was suspicious, but couldn't bring herself to tell the woman what had happened to her. She wanted it to be her secret, and not to let anyone else know what had happened between her and Rodolphus. She shuddered, thinking of the man, and held her son closer, blinking back tears. It didn't matter how much she cried: it seemed that she woke up every morning with fresh fear and fresh tears, though she would never admit to anyone that Rodolphus terrified her.

"Mumma loves you," Nymphadora whispered to her baby, kissing his soft brown curls. "I—I'll make sure that nothing hurts you, no matter what I have to do." She sniffed back tears, seeing him look up at her with bright eyes, the child reaching out to touch her face. "Suffering is nothing as long as you stay safe," she breathed. "Your father would want you to stay safe."

"Nymphadora?" came Draco's voice, and she jumped in shock, her magic crackling as she whirled to face him.

"What do you want?" she demanded, and he stepped back slightly.

The boy looked at her for a moment, then sighed and shook his head. "This was a bad idea," he muttered.

Nymphadora watched him nervously, and he finally looked back up at her. "I...I saw Rodolphus here, Nymphadora." Her face drained of colour as she heard him speak, and she stared at him in horror. "I never wanted to think that he would do something so unholy," Draco muttered, then looked into her eyes. "I know what he did to you, Dora. I've seen evidences of it in other victims before—"

"I am not a victim!" Dora cried, glaring at the boy. "I—"

"All of us are victims," Draco intoned, turning away from her. "Look: you really should talk to someone about it. This will destroy you from the inside out."

"How are you the expert on this?" Nymphadora hissed.

The young man shook his head. "I am not," he said. "But I can tell that it's hurting your mind. At least talk to your mother, Dora."

Nymphadora shivered, a tear dripping onto her cheek. "There is nothing anyone can do," she breathed. "I will never be safe again, and I can't trust anyone. No one can stop them, Draco." She sniffed, horror dawning on her as she realised that she was free game for any of the Inner Circle to prey on. "I hate him."

"I know," Draco sighed. "I just—well, you've been singled out by Rodolphus for this purpose, but you're not alone. Confide in your mother; it will help you."

"Experience, Draco?" Nymphadora laughed bitterly. "I don't want to talk, and I won't. And if you dare say a word..." She glared at him fiercely, and he shrugged.

"Once I would have been infuriated to be threatened in my own house," Draco answered her. "But I have no home. I have no freedom, no safety. All you can do is hold on to your family."

"Leave me alone!" she hissed, turning away from him as tears spilled down her cheeks. She was glad when she turned to sit down in the rocking chair and found her cousin gone. She dashed away her tears, trying to control herself, but she knew Draco was right, and hated that he was so complacent in his misery. "I will  _never_  be a silent victim," she breathed. "I will never just give in."

A small part of her hoped that Rodolphus had got what he had wanted and would leave her alone, but Nymphadora knew that was not the case.

* * *

Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange were laughing uproariously as they arrived back at Malfoy Manor, having destroyed an entire Muggle neighbourhood. "Go celebrate," Rabastan laughed, slapping his brother on the back. "Whatever you want to do. I know you don't want to hear me tell the others what happened."

Rodolphus merely nodded, thanking Merlin that his brother knew at least that much. He walked straight to his room, but it was untouched, and the man clenched his fists angrily. He decided to check Bella's playroom, but it was empty as well, and he knew that she wasn't with Delphi because the wards on the room were different.

He went straight to the wine cabinet and poured himself a glass, downing it in a single draught. He drank another, and a third before he turned away from it, anger still burning deep inside him. He didn't  _need_  Bellatrix, if she was going to be so unfaithful to him; he knew where there was a witch just as delicious.

He eagerly turned toward the door, leaving his room and making his way up to the prisoners' wing again. It wasn't, after all, as if he were seeking Nymphadora out on his own: Bella had driven him to this end. He had to have some way to vent his anger and frustration. Rodolphus grinned slightly as he commended himself for finding the perfect way, and pleasure too.

He went straight to Nymphadora's room, finding her cradling her son as she tried to get him to take a nap. He breathed her name, and she turned to him, breathing his name in fright before yelling at him not to hurt her son. "Then you'll behave, won't you, Nymphie?" he smirked. "Obey what I tell you?"

"I—" the witch clutched her son closer, her hair slowly tinging white as he approached her, pulling her to sit on the bed. "Wha—?"

"I'll let you finish taking care of the brat," Rodolphus said simply. "It wouldn't do for him to be upset while you and I are going at it."

The girl seeming to cringe, holding her son protectively as he watched them, his hand possessively resting on her hip. Rodolphus could hardly bear to wait until the child was asleep before he motioned Nymphadora to put her cub in the cot.

Nymphadora crossed the room, reaching down to lay the child in his cot when she felt the man behind her. "Stop!" she hissed, going to pull away from him, though she heard the sound of material ripping and froze.

"Nymphie," the man sighed, shaking his head as he slipped his arm around her and flicked his wand to put a ward over the child's crib, "you've got to quit tearing your skirts."

He smirked at her glare before forcing her against the wall, the witch already in tears as he reached out to her again, teasing her with his touch. "Nymphadora," he whispered against her neck, "how do they make half-bloods like you so desirable?"

"Unhappy pureblood marriages," the girl choked, screaming out as Rodolphus disapproved of her reply, a ruthless curse surging through her body.

"You haven't learned a thing, Nymphie," he sighed in disappointment. "Well, at least I'm patient." To his amusement, the witch sputtered in disbelief despite her pain. "I meant that," he growled, biting her neck as her body went rigid against his once again. Her hair shot white as she screeched with pain, the witch digging her nails into her hands in an effort to fight off the Curse. "Bad Nymphie. You must learn to behave."

He was intrigued by her cries and covered her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. She struggled against him, though as he pressed his wand into her stomach, she froze.

"R—Rodolphus," she cried, her hands now grasping onto him as she tried to focus, to stay above the pain of the Curse. "It hurts!"

"Yes," he breathed, pressing his face into her pure white hair as she cried out when he redirected the spell. "Isn't it beautiful, Nymphadora?"

"N—no!" the girl sobbed, and Rodolphus chuckled.

"Say yes," he hissed in her ear, pausing the Curse for a moment. "Say yes to the beauty of pain. Never in your wildest thoughts can you dream of what glory, what joy there is in absolute agony."

"I hate you," the witch shrieked as she struggled to push him away. "You sound like Bellatrix."

Rodolphus nodded thoughtfully. "She's taught me well," he agreed. "Though you aren't half as good a learner as I was."

"Sick!" Nymphadora yelled, magic crackling through her hands, and Rodolphus was shocked for a moment before laughing harshly and lifting her into his arms, carrying her to the bed.

"Oh, Nymphie," the man groaned, looking down at her lying readily on her back. "I don't know how I never thought of this before...you make a great toy." He laughed as he crawled over her, a Curse ready in case she tried to fight him. "Remember," he whispered as his hand trailed down her body to rest on her hip, "you promised you'd be good, Nymphie."

He watched her awareness recede in her eyes as he took advantage of her helplessness, kissing her cheek softly before grazing her neck with his teeth. Rodolphus was amazed that she did not make a sound, and determined that, whatever he had to do, he would get a good reaction out of her. He chuckled to himself, smirking in delight. This was a game Rodolphus Lestrange always won.


	12. Toy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it was really odd reading the original authors note for this chapter, because apparently when I first uploaded this chapter I'd just started my current job, which is actually two years and a two weeks ago! I forget how old this story is sometimes haha 
> 
> Anyway, please do read, enjoy and let us know what you think!

Bellatrix Lestrange watched her young daughter playing with her toy wand, happily throwing colourful sparks around the room whilst giggling profusely. Her mother smiled to herself, shuffling down to sit on the edge of her bed as she leant forward and stroked a lock of hair behind the girl's ear.

"Mummy?" Delphini Riddle turned, looking up to see her mother raise an eyebrow in answer to her "Where's Daddy?"

"Well," Bellatrix considered her for a moment as the girl stood and walked over to her, placing her hands on her lap "he is off doing very important things right now."

"Oh," Delphi frowned in her thinking for a moment before she grinned at being lifted onto her mother's lap "Daddy's important."

"Yes, Delphi," Bellatrix smirked, kissing her head. "Very important. He rules the country, my love."

"Yup." Delphi nodded excitedly. "I'm important?"

"Oh very important." Bellatrix kissed her cheek, squeezing her gently. "You'll rule beside him one day, if you listen to what we teach you."

"I can listen!" Delphi pouted before looking to her mother with a look of severe concentration amusing on a nearing two-year-old's features. "Teach me."

"You're a little young, beautiful." Bellatrix laughed, pouting when the girl hit her shoulder. "Don't hit mummy. Hit other people, but not your parents . . . unless your father tells you otherwise." Bella frowned in realisation of her own words, aware that The Dark Lord could instruct Delphini to do such a thing. In fact, she was entirely sure it would happen at one point in her lifetime, she knew the way her master's mind worked. She was only snapped out of her own thoughts as her bedroom door opened. Rodolphus walked into his room to the sight of his wife's bastard daughter rubbing her shoulder, with a shake of his head he walked over to his cabinet, taking a bottle of whiskey out before walking over to lay back on the other side of the bed.

"Where have you been?" Bellatrix demanded of the man.

"Exploring the manor," Rodolphus smirked to himself, knowing full well that there was only one part of the manor he had been exploring—and he most certainly wasn't exploring the manor and more one of its occupants.

"Hey, Rod." Delphi smiled, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder as she looked over to the man.

"Afternoon, Delphini." Rodolphus sighed, taking a swig from the bottle.

"Rod put that down." Bellatrix rolled her eyes, standing up as she gathered Delphi in her arms, frowning slightly at the contented smirk on the man's features. "Why are you so happy?—Never mind, I don't care. I need you to look after Delphi."

"Why?" Rodolphus sighed, sitting up as he placed the bottle on the side.

"Because I haven't seen Nymphadora in a few days, I'm bored." Bellatrix sighed, adjusting Delphi on her hip.

"Wanna come stay with _you_ ," Delphi whined, tugging on her mother's robes.

"You're too young." Bella shook her head before looking pointedly at her husband again. "Well?"

"You're not _actually_ saying no to the girl, are you?" Rodolphus chuckled, watching the silver-haired tot wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "Whatever happened to what Delphi wants, Delphi gets?"

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, trying to unwrap the girl's small arms from her neck "I can't look after Delphi _and_ deal with Nymphadora at the same time."

Rodolphus shrugged before getting up off the bed placing the lid back on his bottle. "I'll go with you then."

"What?" Bellatrix snapped, perplexed at the offer before her eyes narrowed at the man. "Why? You hate helping me with Nymphadora."

"Well, Delphi wants to come to watch and what Delphi wants she gets, right Delphi?"

"Right!" Delphi giggled, letting go of her mother and allowing Rodolphus to take the girl in his arms. "Let's go!"

"I—" Bellatrix stared at the pair for a moment before shaking her head in defeat. " _Fine_. Though _you_ ," Bellatrix poked Delphi's tummy, smirking at the giggle it enticed "need to behave and do as Mummy and Rod tell you, understood?" Delphi nodded furiously, an excited grin on her face as she gripped onto Rodolphus' robes. The woman rolled her eyes, both confused and amused at what on earth had put Rodolphus in such a mood to not only want to endure Nymphadora but also hold her daughter in his arms without complaint. Though she shook away such thoughts as she led the pair to her playroom, summoning Nymphadora to join them.

* * *

Nymphadora Lupin had barely finished healing the last bruise on her body, having only just pulled a new dress over her head the girl hissed at the sensation in her left arm.

"Not now." Dora sighed, screwing her eyes shut to morph her limp mousey brown hair to a long sleek purple. The woman bit her lip at the sight of her son, still sleeping in his cot. She lifted the silencing wards off of the boy before taking him into her arms, kissing his sleeping locks before walking out into the hallway. She hissed in pain as another sharp jolt went up her arm. "I'm coming!" the girl winced as Teddy stirred in her arms. "I'm sorry, shh, sleep."

"Dora?" Narcissa exited her room, frowning at the girl curiously.

"I—" Dora chewed her lip, looking at the boy and the woman and back again "Can you—?"

Narcissa nodded, coming forward and gently taking the boy from his mother's arms, sighing as he started to stir awake. "Go, before Bella loses her temper."

Dora nodded, mumbling a thanks before she rushed off towards Bellatrix's playroom. She walked quickly, fully aware of what Narcissa had said was true; the longer she took, the more irate Bellatrix would become. Though she would quite happily take the long routes through the manor, taking her time in prolonging the inevitable 'training' with her Aunt she knew the quicker she got this over with the better. It was only as she got to the corridor the room lay in that she froze in her step, grabbing on to the wall to stop herself tripping over in her sudden stop. Rodolphus merely smirked, straightening himself from casually leaning against the wall.

"Nymphie." Rodolphus slowly walked towards the woman, holding back a laugh as she tried to stumble back for a moment before realising that she had nowhere to go to escape him.

"What do you want?" Dora breathed, her hand on her wand in its holster in an instant. "Haven't you had your fun for one day?"

"Oh Nymphie," Rodolphus couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him "Bella wants you this time, I simply told her it was best if I meet you out here to warn you."

"W—Warn me?" she winced as Rodolphus stopped mere inches from her face.

"Yes." Rodolphus allowed his eyes to run over her features before he huffed in amusement at her clear discomfort. "Bella has Delphi in there."

"I—You mean V—The Dark Lords child?" Dora asked, her own face contorting in confusion for a moment as her fright and disgust at the man was temporarily forgotten as he nodded. "Why? Is she ins—" she shook her head as Rodolphus raised an eyebrow at her "Okay, but Delphi—she's still only a toddler."

"Delphi wanted to come." Rodolphus shrugged. "What Delphi wants, Delphi gets."

"I thought you hated being around Delphi—I thought you hated Bella making you 'help' with me?" Dora suddenly gasped as the man reached out, stroking her cheek deceivingly gently.

"What can I say, you put me in a good mood earlier," Rodolphus smirked, tugging on a stray strand of the girl's hair. "Get rid of the white and we can go in—and remember, don't talk to Delphi unless she talks to you, understood?" the man rolled his eyes, magic crackling beneath his hand to send a sharp stinging sensation into the girl's cheek. "I said, understood?"

"Yes!" Dora hissed.

"Good," Rodolphus smirked, letting go of his power over the girl. "Now get rid of the white, we don't want Bella to wonder why you're so frightened before she's even got to you, do we?"

"She doesn't frighten me." Dora glared before taking a step back from the man and changing her hair back to purple before she took one glance at the man and walked ahead of him into the room. She ignored his amused teases at her apparent eagerness to escape him as she opened the door, begrudgingly letting him walk in behind her. Delphini Riddle was sat in the corner of the room, resting on her mother's lap on an armchair that had been summoned purely to keep the girl sitting somewhere. The silver-haired girl turned in her mother's lap, her dark Black eyes darting straight to the purple haired witch. Dora couldn't help but stare at her, it was just so bizarre in her eyes. Not only had the darkest wizard of her time procreated with her mentally unstable, evil bitch of an Aunt they had created a seemingly innocent looking two-year-old dressed in a light green frilly dress, not the slightest image of evil one would expect yet the height of all young good and innocence. Though the mere image of her Aunt with such an innocent looking child on her lap made all of Nymphadora's Auror instincts want to kick into place and rescue the girl from the monster, what was more disturbing was the fact that Bellatrix seemed simply a mother with a child placed on her lap, not a hint of all evil she had done and would go on to do on her features.. Dora was only snapped out of her thoughts when her Aunt began to talk, the harsh tone quickly snapping her out of her deluded thoughts of Bella seeming to be so innocent in that moment.

"Do not stare Nymphadora, it's rude." Bellatrix hissed, smirking at the giggling of her child as she stood up with the girl in her arms. "Now Delphi," Bella softened her tone as she looked to the girl, kissing her cheek "remember what Mummy said. You're going to sit here and behave with Rodolphus whilst Mummy and Nymphadora play, yes?"

Delphi frowned, not relenting in her gaze to the purple haired witch. "Why's your hair purple?"

"I—" Dora hesitated for a moment, looking to Bellatrix to see if she was about to hex her for talking before looking back to the little girl, "I made it purple—morphed it."

"What?" Delphi frowned, looking to her mother for an answer "What's mowphed mean?"

"Morphed." Bella corrected. "Nymphadora's a freak, darling. She can change the way she looks on her own. So she changed her hair purple."

"Oh." Delphi frowned for a moment longer before she looked to her mother with a grin. "You gonna dool?"

"Duel." Bella smirked, kissing the girl's head before she nodded for Rod to come over. The girl giggled as Rodolphus took the girl from her mother and went to sit her in the chair, standing beside her after carefully making sure the girl was warded from stray spells. It was only then that Bellatrix turned back to her niece, drawing her wand. It was only then that she noticed the girls gaze had not wavered from the pair in the corner (though she did not notice the cruel knowing smirk from her husband), a growl of annoyance leaving her as she shot a hex at the girl. "Concentrate."

The woman nodded, drawing her wand. She soon parried the first spell her way and hit back with her own, the two witches soon lost in a blur of spells firing back and forth within the room. It was minutes before either of them managed to get a shot in, though to the purple haired witches surprise it was her that managed to get a spell to hit her opponent, causing a slash to open on Bella's left arm. Blood was soon seeping into the dark fabric of the woman's dress though it did not deter her from her target.

"Mummy!" Delphi whined in concern for her mother.

"Mummy is _fine_ , Delphi," Bellatrix growled in renewed determination, her onslaught of curses driving her niece to the corner of the room.

Dora tried to hold her own, successfully so, though it was as she took two steps further back she felt a strong grip take both of her arms and pull her towards him whilst yelling at his wife to stop. She yelled out in fear, struggling profusely as she was pulled out of the way of the last of Bellatrix's spells.

"What are you doing?!" Bellatrix screeched.

"You're too close to Delphini!" Rodolphus barked back in reply, gritting his teeth as he hooked an arm around the struggling witch whilst jabbing his wand in her gut with the other.

"She's fine!" Bellatrix hissed before glaring at her niece. "For Merlin's sake Rodolphus, calm the girl down!"

Rodolphus glared at his wife, throwing the girl away from him and on the floor. Nymphadora instantly calmed, trying to calm her breathing as she screwed her eyes shut to hold back the tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't help herself, each of her senses and instincts were at the height of sensitivity when in such an intense duel, feeling _those arms_ on her, _that voice_ yelling in her ear. Each of her instincts told her to run as far as she could as quickly as she could, that if she stayed in that man's grasp any longer than a split second she would end up feeling the demoralising and disgusting pain the man had been putting her through of late. She pressed her forehead to the cool stone floor, forcing herself not to sob as she gripped tightly onto her wand for some sort of sense of protection. She hissed in pain as Bellatrix kicked into her side, forcing her to roll onto her back with her mess of white hair covering her face.

"What on _earth_ has gotten into you, Nymphie?" Bellatrix growled, her face lit with fury as she threw a stinging hex at the girl.

Nymphadora merely yelped at the pain, clutching at her robes as she forced herself to shuffle up to sit. "I'm _fine_."

"You look it." Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, a small pair of arms wrapping around her legs forcing her to soften her look before she bent down and took her daughter in her arms, wincing as she'd forgotten about the cut that Delphi was now prodding.

"Mummy's hurt!" Delphi cried.

"No Delphi, Nymphie is hurt." Bellatrix glared at the woman sat on the floor before walking over to the chair in the corner. She tried to set her girl down to no avail before finally giving up and sitting down with her on her lap. She pointed her wand at the slash, letting Delphini watch as both flesh and material simultaneously healed before syphoning off the blood on the garment. "See, Mummy's fine."

"Good." Delphi nodded, mimicking her mother's glare at Nymphadora in a way the witch would have seen as comedic if it weren't for her still racing heart. "Bad Nymphie!"

"Yes, bad Nymphie." Rodolphus smirked.

"Just get her out of here, Rodolphus." Bellatrix hissed at her husband.

Dora quickly pulled herself to her feet, stepping back as the man walked towards her. "I can see myself back thank you very much!"

"You can do as you're told!" Bellatrix snapped, letting her daughter cuddle into her as Rodolphus grabbed Dora by the arm.

"Behave." Rodolphus growled before dragging the girl from the room.

"Get off of me!" Nymphadora hissed once they were nearing the prisoner's wing, emitting an involuntary squeal of discomfort as she was slammed against the wall with Rodolphus barely inches from her face.

"What do you think you're doing, Nymphadora?" Rodolphus growled, his tight grip on the woman's arm making her squirm against him though she was quickly stopped as he pulled her towards him then slammed her back into the wall. "I did nothing to you, Nymphadora! I simply pulled you out of the way of falling back and squashing a child with your clumsiness! That did not warrant such a reaction, Bella will start to suspect. If Bellatrix starts to suspect through your foolishness it will be you who will suffer for it, woman!"

A huff of laughter escaped Dora despite herself, glaring at the man as she hissed. "She'd never believe it! That's what you said! Scared of your lies, Lestrange?"

"Do not try my patience." Rodolphus growled before throwing the girl away from himself, laughing as the girl stumbled before righting herself. "You can find your own way back from here—though I'm sure I'll come check up on you soon, run along."

Nymphadora shot a glare back at the man as he walked away with a cruel laugh. She righted herself, taking a deep breath and trying yet again to calm herself before walking back into the wing. Andromeda soon walked out of Narcissa's room. "Are you okay?" Andromeda asked, searching the girl for any signs of harm.

"Where's Teddy?" Dora asked, "With Narcissa still?"

Andromeda nodded, going to speak again before she frowned at the girl storming ahead of her into Narcissa's room. A half forced grin was soon on Dora's face as the one-year-old ran up from his position on the floor with Narcissa and hugged his mother's legs tightly. "Mumma!" the boy cried, giggling as the woman lifted him into her arms and kissed his head firmly.

"Have you been good for Cissa, Teddy?" Dora smiled, sitting down on the edge of Narcissa's bed, shuffling up to let Narcissa sit next to her as Andromeda walked into the room.

"Yeah!" Teddy nodded, his hair shooting blonde as he talked about the witch before pointing to a small pile of toys on the floor. "Toys!"

"Where did you get toys?" Andromeda frowned, looking to her sister shuffling awkwardly on the bed.

"Well, Delphi didn't want them anymore." Narcissa shrugged, looking to the small pile. "I think she's grown out of them—but they're fine for Teddy. The girl has so many things you could get rid of half of it and no-one would notice, I haven't seen her play with those in months."

"Thank you." Dora smiled slightly, resting her head against her sons as she closed her eyes.

"Thankoo!" Teddy grinned, hugging his mum.

"Dora, are you okay?" Andromeda repeated her earlier question, stopping herself from going over and searching the woman for traces of dark spells without permission.

"I'm fine." Dora snapped, standing suddenly from the bed with Teddy happily gathered in her arms. "Want to come play with Mummy, Teddy bear?"

"Yeah!" Teddy grinned.

"Thanks, Narcissa." Dora mumbled before walking from the room.

Andromeda sighed in despair, looking after the witch as the door closed behind her. "Something's wrong with her. . ."

Narcissa frowned in consideration for a moment before getting up and picking up the toys, walking over to one of her draws and hiding them beneath some dresses. "Maybe her resolve is finally depleting."

"Don't say that." Andromeda shuddered. "As much as it hurts her to keep fighting it—I like her defiance—I mean, it's good. I'd be more worried if she gave in and turned into another Bellatrix."

"Honestly," Narcissa scoffed, turning to raise an eyebrow at her elder sister "do you honestly think her capable of that?"

"I don't know." She chewed her lip, moving to sit in her daughter's previous seat. "Ever since she was a little girl I was terrified of that—that she'd one day see the call of power and run off to join the Death Eaters—realise how powerful she really could be and give in to the dark."

"Andromeda," Narcissa moved to sit next to her sister, hesitating only for a moment before she wrapped an arm around the woman. "Nymphadora is no Bellatrix . . . Yes, they are similar in some ways, you cannot deny that. She certainly has the Black temper, she is clearly skilled in battle, I'm sure she probably enjoys being on the battlefield too."

"She enjoys fighting for what is right and what is good!" Andromeda winced at her raised tone before she shook her head and calmed herself again. "Well, she used to at least . . . I don't know, Cissa. She's been quieter since Remus was killed, kept to herself more. She used to talk to me about everything and now I get the feeling she's hiding something from me and it is not how she feels about losing her husband I know that for sure."

"I do not know what to say to you, Andromeda." Narcissa spoke honestly, considering her niece in her mind for a few moments before she looked back to her sister. "Perhaps she merely does not want you to know the extent of Bella's 'training'? Maybe she's worried it will upset you. We both know how cruel Bellatrix can be and from what I've seen from her since she escaped Azkaban I can honestly tell you she has only gotten worse—and she doesn't just have Bellatrix to contend against, she has Rodolphus, Rabastan—most of the inner circle seem to have been in contact with her at least a couple of times since she's been here. Maybe she's merely ashamed of what she has had to do, what she knows she will still do to keep you and Teddy safe?"

"She doesn't have to do anything to keep me safe." Andromeda winced.

"But she will, because she's got the determination of a Black, the loyalty and kind heart of a Hufflepuff and the sheer amount of sass and willingness to not give in to the status quo that I'm sure you and your husband had a large part in giving her." Narcissa smirked as her sister gave a huff of amusement. "Now come on, don't worry about Dora so much, she can fend for herself—with our help with looking after Teddy and making sure she gets healed from her wounds. Understood?"

Andromeda hesitated for a moment before rolling her eyes at the look her sister gave her and nodding. "Understood." The witch smiled as Narcissa hugged her, letting herself embrace her back. Though as the two witches sat there in a moment of peace in the dark place they found themselves in Andromeda Tonks Nee Black could not help the feeling that there was something seriously wrong with Nymphadora that she was missing.


	13. Disaster Strikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dora discovers something dreadful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're caught up in drama! And there's no escaping! Muahahahahahahaha!

Nymphadora leant against the wall of Teddy's room, watch the fifteen-month-old child playing on the floor. "Mumma!" the child grinned, motioning to the stack of blocks he'd made and accidentally knocking them over. His face fell, but he began to stack them back determinedly.

She wasn't exactly watching him, more like she was avoiding her room in the hopes that Rodolphus would not come tonight. She was very much frightened at things that had been happening to her the past few days, beginning to put the clues together and coming to a terrifying conclusion. Dora did not want to have to explain her fears to anyone, and was terrified to find out the truth, especially since no one knew what had been happening between her and Rodolphus.

Nymphadora looked back at Teddy when he called her again, this time not moving his hands as he grinned at her. She gave him a small smile, then walked over, leaning down and kissing his brown hair. "I love you," she murmured. "Good job, Teddy."

"Tanks," Teddy answered proudly as his grandmother had taught him.

Her mother didn't say anything to her, but Nymphadora felt that her mother knew something was wrong, and sensed the same thing from Narcissa. Nymphadora avoided Draco, completely aware that the boy knew what was happening to her more and more often through the past weeks.

Too soon, Nymphadora found herself getting ready to go to bed, though Rodolphus' signal to her was lit up: he would be paying her a visit tonight. Nymphadora squeezed her eyes shut, knowing exactly how he liked her to prepare for him, but decided that she wasn't going to do it.

Rodolphus entered the room, his eyes narrowing as he saw Nymphadora, fully dressed, sitting on the bed. "We've been over this," he growled at her. "You did not obey, Nymphadora. You know what that means." He stormed across the room to her, grasping her as he surged a Curse through her body.

She shrieked in pain, a kind of alarm going off in her as she realised that it had probably been a bad idea to anger him if she was to tell him what she suspected. "R—Rod, please don't!" she cried. "Please—please—you can't—"

"And why can't I punish you?" he pouted, pretending to be disappointed. "I expected you to be all ready for me, and here you don't even think you deserve punishment for disobeying me..."

"No!" Nymphadora shrieked, her hair turning white as he reached for her again. "Rodolphus, please! You wouldn't if you knew!"

"If I knew what?" he rolled his eyes at her. "And don't tell me the Bloody Baron is here. I don't care."

She shivered, shaking her head, though she hesitated to speak, and he frowned at the unusual look in her eyes. "Nymphie," he sighed, playing with her hair though he kept a hand on her side in case she decided to act out. "Tell me what's troubling you."

Nymphadora squeezed her eyes shut in horror at the words she knew she must speak. "I—I—I might be—well, I think—I think I'm pregnant." She cringed at the sound of that sentence, feeling Rodolphus withdraw his hands from her. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her with the most insane combination of emotions on his face.

He suddenly whipped out his wand, and she whimpered, but he yelled, "Hold still!" and pointed the wand at her stomach. Seconds later he breathed, "Bloody hell, Nymphie, you are pregnant. You're carrying my child..."

She closed her eyes in horror, beginning to cry as the truth dawned on her. "No," she sniffed, and he jumped off the bed, walking toward the door. "Where are you going?" she yelled after him.

"I'll be back!" he warned her, then almost ran from the prisoners' ward.

"N—no," Dora sobbed, sinking down onto her bed. She needed to fix this: she needed to hide what had happened between her and Rodolphus. There could be no child to bring her worst memories to her every second of every day.

The witch whipped out her own wand, pointing it at her stomach as she winced, thinking of the pain and how she would be injuring herself as well. She was just about to do it when Andromeda walked into the room and stopped dead in her tracks. "Nymphadora Lupin, what are you doing?" she demanded. "Stop this instant!" She practically ran across the room and wrestled the wand away from the hysterical witch. "What are you doing?"

Nymphadora screeched in her rage, her hair red and white together. "Give it back!" she screamed. "I can't let it live! I can't mother such a child!"

Andromeda stared at her. "Nymphadora, stop screaming and tell me what is going on," she said to her daughter.

The girl threw herself into her mother's arms, sobbing desperately. "Mum," she sobbed in horror, "I—Rodolphus has been forcing me to sleep with him, and now—I'm pregnant with his child! Give me my wand! I've got to kill it! I can't bear the shame of it—oh, I can't have his baby!"

"Nymphadora," Andromeda breathed in horror, and the girl cringed at her mother's scandalised tone. "Rodolphus has been coming here?"

"Yes!" she shrieked. "He hurts me! And he was just here, and I told him, and—I don't know what he's doing now, but he's going to come back—he said so!"

"I knew something was wrong," Andromeda groaned. "I should have talked to you about it!"

Nymphadora wrenched herself away from her mother, throwing herself onto the bed. "No one can stop him!" she yelled, her hair pure white now. "Not even Bellatrix could tell him not to! I'm his toy! He takes out his anger at Bellatrix on me! He can't hurt her because she's the Dark Lord's bitch!"

Andromeda bit her lip. "Shh, Dora," she said. "You shouldn't say such things..."

"That's right," came Rodolphus' voice from the doorway, and Nymphadora cried out in fear as the man walked toward the two witches.

"Leave her alone!" Andromeda glared at him. "You've done enough, Lestrange!"

Rodolphus chuckled. "Andromeda. She's pregnant with my child. I will no more leave her alone than I did before, though...I will definitely not abuse her as much..."

Tears of shame streamed down Nymphadora's face as the man walked over to her, reaching over and placing his hand over her stomach. "I have to take you to the Dark Lord before Bellatrix finds out and comes after you and the child," Rodolphus said, sticking his wand in her side. "Bellatrix will kill you both without hesitation unless she is restrained. This is the only way, Nymphadora."

"No," Dora sobbed. "Just get rid of it!"

"No!" Rodolphus glared at her. "Nymphie, if you dare try that, there will be punishment. I have waited too long to be a father: I will not have you destroy this opportunity."

"Even if it's a half-blood?" Andromeda demanded. "You know that you will be the brunt of all the Inner Circle jokes now? Do you really want the shame, Rodolphus?"

Rodolphus dragged Nymphadora up from the bed, half supporting her as she sobbed uncontrollably, devastated at her own news. "I've waited more than twenty years to hear that I might finally be a father," he said coldly. "And there is nothing more shameful than Bellatrix and Delphini, so it does not matter to me the blood of the mother. The power is the same, anyway."

"I won't!" Nymphadora screeched, and Rodolphus slapped her across the face brutally. She fell silent for a moment, seeing spots before her eyes before Rodolphus flung open the door to her room.

"You will do as I say," he hissed in her ear as he dragged her with him. "Especially if the Dark Lord orders you to."

"Nooooo!" Nymphadora screamed in despair, and Andromeda stared after her daughter, the hysterical witch being dragged off to the Dark Lord by her abuser, the father of her child.

Rodolphus had his arm wrapped around Nymphadora, his wand in her side. He had decided to take Rabastan's advice in asking the Dark Lord to allow Dora to have the child, since both his baby and the baby's mother would be in serious danger from Bellatrix. She was sobbing loudly as he dragged her down the hall, and he jostled her sharply. "Quiet down," he growled at her. "It's not as if I'm particularly displeased at this news."

"I hate you," Nymphadora sobbed, her hair white. "I hate you!"

"Shhh," he murmured, hearing a couple doors open somewhere in the manor. "They will all know soon, but you needn't tell them right now, Nymphie."

She choked on her sobs, gasping for breath a moment before Rodolphus pulled her on into the main hall of Malfoy Manor. "My Lord," he said, dragging Nymphadora forward and throwing her to her knees before he bowed to the floor as well.

The Dark Lord looked from his most faithful's husband to the man's broken, sobbing niece. "Nymphadora," he said coldly, "why do you make such a scene? Surely nothing can be that upsetting...in recent times, that is." A smirk of amusement broke across his face.

Rodolphus looked up, his gaze determined. "My Lord," he said, then continued after Nymphadora had quieted a little, "the girl is pregnant with my child."

Nymphadora began to sob all over again, and the Dark Lord nodded, raising an eyebrow slightly. "I see," he mused, walking closer to the two. "So why have you brought her to me, hmm?"

"For protection," Rodolphus answered. "And permission for her to have the child. You know they will be in danger when this gets out."

"Ah, yes," the Dark Lord mused. "Bella will have a lot to say, surely. Are you sure you want this child, though, Rodolphus? Nymphadora will not be the most compliant mother..."

"She is easier to tame than Bellatrix," Rodolphus answered, scowling at the witch kneeling on the floor beside him. "I know what will come of this, my Lord, but I ask that you give us permission for this child to be born. I have long waited for a child."

"You have," the Dark Lord sighed, nodding slightly.

"I will ask it," Rodolphus said finally, looking up at his master. "I will ask it as a favour for my service—my years in Azkaban."

Lord Voldemort looked at Rodolphus almost curiously, then said, "I cannot deny you do deserve that reward. I grant you permission for this, your half-blood child to be born. There is one thing, however." Rodolphus looked up, his eyes dark and guarded. "You must be the one to tell Bellatrix that she has lost her toy for the next few months."

Rodolphus nodded, his eyes lit up with a joy he could not hide. "Thank you, my Lord," he breathed. "I am most grateful."

"Yes, yes," the Dark Lord mused, waving him away. "And Nymphadora—" she looked up at him through her tears, shaking in her horror and shame "if you try to get rid of this child, you will suffer the loss of your own child."

"No!" Nymphadora cried out in anguish. "My Lord—!"

"Take her away," the Dark Lord said carelessly, and Rodolphus obeyed immediately.

"No, no, no," Nymphadora sobbed as the man half carried her back toward the prisoners' ward. "Please..."

"Please what?" Rodolphus outright laughed, and Dora couldn't remember him ever sounding so happy. "I told you, Nymphie, you simply must be more specific."

Nymphadora just cried hopelessly, not even fighting him as he finally had to levitate her to the prisoners' wing. Rodolphus finally pulled her into his arms again just inside the ward and turned her to look at him. "I will be keeping an eye on you," he told her quietly. "I will know if you try anything, Nymphadora. I don't think you want to risk your precious Teddy, do you?"

"N-no," she sniffed, replying automatically before he could demand a reply. She heard her mother's voice and closed her eyes in shame. "I don't want to be here," she whimpered.

"Well, you're stuck here," he said sharply, then motioned to Andromeda. "Take good care of her. I wouldn't want anything to happen to the child. For your sake as well, Nymphie."

Nymphadora shuddered as her mother wrapped her arms around her, cradling her gently as she completely ignored Rodolphus. "I love you," Andromeda murmured to her, and Nymphadora just shook her head, sobbing heartbrokenly.

Rodolphus finally turned and left Nymphadora to her misery, a proud smirk on his features. Never in his wildest dreams would he have dreamed of having a half-blood child, let alone being happy with one, but he would take what he could get. After all, he would have full control of his son or daughter, whatever it was. Laughing to himself, he went straight back to his brother's room, ready to celebrate his good fortune.

Knocking on the door, Rodolphus was soon admitted by Rabastan. "Did you get his okay?" Rabastan asked, half earnestly.

"Yes," Rodolphus laughed. "Yes, I did."

"You're insane, to be so happy at such a child," Rabastan sighed, shaking his head at his brother before he laughed too. "All right, then. Sit down. I'll pour the drinks." He eyed his brother for a moment, then said, "So how does Nymphie compare to Bellatrix?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rodolphus smirked, taking the glass his brother handed him and downing it in one drink.

"Yeah," Rabastan grinned, sitting down with his own glass. "Because once Bella kills you, Nymphie will be unprotected. I wouldn't mind a shot at her, though I'd like a bit of warning."

"Unpractised?" Rodolphus smirked, and Rabastan laughed uproariously.

"Rod, you are too happy," he laughed. "You'll sing a different tune when Bella gets a hold of you."

Rodolphus just grinned and held out his glass for more wine. "I intend to make the most of the next few months," he told his brother. "With Nymphie and Bella both."

Rabastan grinned, then said, "I dare you to show me just one memory, Rod. Just one." Rodolphus glared at his brother, and Rabastan said, "Come on! It's not as if I haven't seen you and Bella! Just one?"

After a few moments, Rodolphus shrugged, laughing in delight, and nodded before sitting on the edge of his chair eagerly. "Do you have the Pensieve?"

 

Andromeda cradled her hysterical daughter for a long while, trying to calm her, but not knowing what to say. She could not get over the shock that Rodolphus Lestrange had been raping her daughter and had finally got her pregnant. She was too horrified to try to calm Nymphadora without making the girl more hysterical.

The girl was barely calming down when Narcissa entered the room, standing near the door. She looked at the two, then sighed and walked over to them. She sat down on Dora's other side, then asked, "What happened to bring him running down here twice in the same evening?"

Nymphadora cringed into her mother's side, unwilling and unable to speak through her sobs. Andromeda looked across her daughter's head at her sister. "Rodolphus...has finally fathered a child."

Narcissa's eyes widened in shock, the witch pressing her hand against her heart. "Dora?" she breathed. "Oh, Dora!"

The young witch didn't even look up, filled with shame at the discussion going on around her. Andromeda sighed, pressing her cheek against her daughter's head. "Dora has been ordered by the Dark Lord to carry this child and bring it to life," she said to Narcissa. "If she loses the child, she will lose Teddy as well."

Narcissa took a sharp breath, shaking her head in disbelief as Andromeda motioned her to be very careful what she said. "Oh dear," she sighed. "At least you get a break from training and missions, though."

"Only to be half killed by Bella when I return!" Nymphadora cried, not comforted.

"She'll hurt him, too, don't worry," Narcissa nodded. "She will not be pleased."

"I can't stand it," Dora sobbed. "I'm just a pawn in this awful, awful game!"

Andromeda hugged the girl tightly, murmuring, "Dora, we all are. And I know you've been singled out, but we all serve our purposes. I—I'm sorry."

Nymphadora clung to her mother. "Why me?" she whimpered, tears streaming down her face. "Why? Why did I have to be the one that everyone hates and decides is the traditional Lestrange toy?"

Both older witches didn't answer. All of them knew that there was nothing to be done but to endure the hardship and pain of their captivity.


	14. Hormones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so much stuff has been going on lately it seems that I have forgotten it was my turn to upload the next chapter. Sorry! Please do enjoy the latest instalment and let us know what you think!

It was gone past midnight and Rodolphus Lestrange was laid back on his bed. A cold smirk was set upon his features as the warm afterglow of the many firewhiskeys he had consumed with his brother for the last few hours had put him at the perfect point of being simply content. As his fingers fondled the silk sheets underneath him he knew that the happiness of the day would soon be tainted by his wife. He knew Bellatrix would not be happy, in fact, he was entirely sure that she would be livid, so it did not surprise him that The Dark Lord passed the task of delivering such news onto Rodolphus. He did not care, he would have to deal with Bella's tirade no matter who delivered the news, all he cared about was that he was finally getting what he wanted. No matter the blood, no matter who gave it to him, Rodolphus Lestrange was finally going to be a father. He would finally have a child, an heir to call his own. He most definitely did not care what Bellatrix Lestrange Nee Black would think of such things. Though when the clock struck one in the morning and the click of Bellatrix's heels slowly making their way towards the door sounded Rodolphus couldn't help but let out a breath of annoyance. He could never have an entire day where he could simply revel in his own happiness.

"Rod?" Bella called as she opened the door to their room, raising an eyebrow at the man lying on the bed before rolling her eyes and shutting the door behind herself. She walked over to the bed, grasping onto one of the four posters of the bed as she swung around before dropping herself to sit at his feet. "Did you get so drunk you couldn't undress yourself again? Because I won't help you."

"No, Bella." Rodolphus sighed, still unwilling to move.

"Well," Bellatrix wrinkled her nose before patting his leg and getting up to walk to her dresser. "you stink of alcohol either way."

Rodolphus turned his head, considering the woman from afar. Merlin, she was beautiful, even after the years in Azkaban had addled her mind and stolen her youth. She sighed in annoyance and sat on the stool of her dresser with a huff and a pout befitting a small child making Rod sit up to look at her properly.

"I've been with our Lord," Bellatrix mused, watching for a reaction out of the man that she did not receive before she carried on with a sigh, "He said he had talked with you today. He told me you wished to speak with me—I was rather distracted by other things after our initial conversation though he reminded me once I left." Bellatrix smirked, taking each opportunity to annoy the man that she could though to her dismay the contented smirk remained on her husband's features. With a roll of her eyes, Bellatrix leant back on the dresser, narrowing her eyes at the man. "Delphi's in bed, I'm here, you have my full attention. Sooo . . . What do you want?"

Rodolphus let out a deep sigh, moving to sit on the edge of bed. He reached a hand out to his wife. "Come here, Ma Belle."

Bellatrix considered him for a moment before she rolled her eyes. She got up from her seat, walking over to him and taking his hand though she refused his gentle tug to sit on his lap, instead giving him a look of questioning. "I'm not in the mood for games."

"Bella," Rodolphus chuckled. "You are _always_ in the mood for games."

"True." Bellatrix couldn't help but giggle before she returned a more serious gaze towards the man. "But The Dark Lord told you to tell me something. So tell me."

Rodolphus pouted, reaching up and stroking his wife's cheek. "Bella, why am I never allowed to play games, only you?"

"Because you're an imbecile." Bellatrix snatched her hand away, crossing her arms. "Come on, spit it out."

"Fine." Rodolphus sighed, standing from the bed as he took his wand from the nightstand. "I am going to be a father."

"You—" Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, looking to the wand in her husband's hand as she drew her own. "I am not having another child. If you want to convince me that _that_ is what The Dark Lord told you to tell me you are deranged! He would never make me—"

"Bellatrix." Rodolphus spoke firmly, smirking when she finally shut up after the third time he had called her name. "Did I say you were going to have a child? No, I did not."

Bellatrix froze, her face lit with fury. " _What_?"

"I have been told to tell you that you are not to harm Nymphadora." Rodolphus smirked, taking great pleasure in the annoyance of his wife. "Until she's had the baby at least."

Bellatrix stared at the man, wide eyed in shock yet her eyes burned with her anger at the man. " _What?_ "

Rodolphus sighed, mimicking his wife's childlike tones as he turned her head on its side to look at her. "You heard me. I've been _visiting_ Nymphadora—for quite a while now—and now she's pregnant." Rodolphus shrugged as he straightened to look at his wife properly. "She is being made to keep the child, to keep it safe or her own son suffers the consequences. She is quite distraught about the whole ordeal—"

The man didn't get to finish his sentence, though he expected the yell of 'Crucio' as he fell back onto the bed, the pain of a thousand knives scratching the surface of every inch of his skin. "How dare you!" Bella shrieked, twisting her wand as she concentrated the spell. "You—You— _You disgust me_!" As she released the spell Bellatrix panted in rage, yelling in her fury as she threw a hex at the man making his entire body shudder. "You have been sleeping with that piece of _filth_!? Then sharing a bed with me!? How dare you!"

"How dare I!?" Rodolphus couldn't help his laughter, pulling himself to sit up and look at his wife.

"You ruined my toy!" Bellatrix screeched "You slept with that filthy half-blood, _bitch_! Why!?"

The wizard rose from his seat, slowly walking towards his wife. It was years of experience that allowed him to predict her move before she managed to get her next hex in. The spell rebounded off his shield, the wooden poster of the bed Bellatrix had swung on mere minutes previously imploding in a shower of splinters, Rodolphus taking the opportunity of the distraction to step close enough to his wife to grab her wand hand.

"What did you expect, Bellatrix?" Rodolphus growled, his faces mere inches from her own as he pressed her back into the wall. The woman writhed beneath him, trying to get the upper hand until her husband managed to still her movements with one hand still on her wrist as the other pressed her shoulder into the wall. "I have waited more than twenty years for you to do your duty as my wife!" Rodolphus spat, causing the woman to flinch despite her still furious crazed glare. "What did you expect?"

"You did it on purpose?" Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth.

"No." Rodolphus chuckled, shrugging. "I wasn't exactly careful, but that niece of yours—"

"She is no niece of mine!" she yelled, trying to struggle to get out of his grasp again before he slammed her head back into the wall.

"Well, she certainly shares some of your attributes, Ma Belle." Rodolphus laughed, screwing his eyes shut as without warning Bellatrix spat straight in his face. With a groan of annoyance, Rod leant down and wiped his face on her dress.

"Fine, you want half-blood scum offspring, you have half-blood scum offspring." Bellatrix smirked. "No Pureblood lineage for you." Without warning Bellatrix grasped her hand onto the man's hip, coursing a curse through his body as she used his temporary lack of grip to push him away from her.

"Well it clearly doesn't matter if I have a half-blood child, _does it_ Bellatrix?" Rodolphus narrowed his eyes. "I mean what with—"

"Don't you dare bring Delphi into this!" Bellatrix raged, summoning her wand and aiming it at the man within a heartbeat.

The couple were soon both stood ready to duel, each one pointing their wand at the other. "Why not?" Rodolphus growled. "It only seems fair; you refuse me a child though you willingly gave our master one. Why can I not have a child with another woman if you have a child with another man? He seemed fine with the arrangement."

Bellatrix threw a curse at the man, yelling in fury as the spell was shielded with ease and another was soon sent her way. Soon a flurry of spells was sent around the room, pillows exploding into a shower of feathers, the mirror shattering into a thousand pieces, chunks being blown out of the wall. It was only when Rodolphus lost his wand that the room stilled for a moment—that was before Bellatrix threw the most vicious Cruciatus he had ever experienced from the woman. He instantly yelled out in agony as he fell to the floor with a thud.

"You did this just to infuriate me, didn't you?" She walked over to the writhing man on the floor, releasing the curse as she glared down at him. " _Didn't you_!?"

"J—" Rodolphus choked, wincing as he pulled himself up from the floor. "Just an added benefit, Bellatrix. **Crucio**!" the man laughed as his wife hit the floor, not having seen him still grasping tightly onto his wand. He intensified the curse, watching as she fell to the floor and yelled out—though he was unsure if it was due to her pain or her annoyance at the man. It was only when she was a panting and writhing mess on the floor scratching at the floor boards that he let the curse go.

He powered through the residual pain of his wife's curse, pulling himself over to the panting form of the woman currently sprawled on the floor. With a grunt he managed to pull himself on top of her, pinning her hands above her head as she looked up at him with severe distaste and contempt.

"Bella," Rodolphus sighed, moving both of her wrists to one of his hands before he reached down and stroked the wild curls from the woman's face. "Why must we argue like this? The Dark Lord has given you an order not to hurt Nymphadora, he has allowed me to have this child. You should be happy." He let out a small chuckle as she gave him an incredulous stare. "We both have our own way. _I_ have a child on the way, _you_ do not have to bear that child. You may have lost your 'play toy' though I think you will find her completely hysterical and inconsolable at the moment. I may have broken her."

Bellatrix glared up at him, wriggling for a few moments before she gave the man a stern look, causing him to roll his eyes and let go of her. She pressed her hand to his chest, pushing him off of her before sitting up to stare him straight in the eyes again. "She's miserable?" Bellatrix asked, scoffing as Rodolphus nodded. "I still hate you."

"Of course." Rodolphus smirked.

She crossed her arms, looking away from the man. "I do not want that child near Delphini."

"Fine."

"I want Nymphadora back as soon as she's squeezed it out."

"Fine."

"And from now on," Bellatrix glared, pointing her finger at Rodolphus as if he were some disobedient child. "you stay away from my toys when you do not have permission. Nymphadora is _mine_ , not yours, understood? You simply...have her on loan for 9 months."

"Understood." Rodolphus chuckled, leaning forward and kissing the woman.

"Get off of me." Bellatrix wrinkled her nose as she pulled away. "You can sleep in another room tonight—I'm still mad at you."

"Fine." Rodolphus couldn't help the boyish grin, watching his wife pull herself over to the bed, huffing with annoyance.

"You can help me fix the room first." Bellatrix snapped, repairing the mirror.

Rodolphus nodded, getting up off of the floor and beginning to put their destroyed room to rights. This was always how Bellatrix and Rodolphus fought, screaming at each other, destroying the room whilst hurting each other, then ending up with a small moment of calm to actually talk. The man didn't care, it was all worth it, it all would be worth it when he finally had his child.

* * *

Andromeda was laid back in Nymphadora's bed, her daughter curled into her as she finally slept. She watched her breathing calmly, her arms wrapped around her with her hand clasped onto her robes, gently stroking her mousey brown hair out of her face. Andromeda hadn't held the girl like this since she was a child, though after the woman had cried herself to sleep she had quietly asked Narcissa to take care of Teddy as she decided to stay with her daughter. Andromeda leant down, placing a gentle kiss to her hair before sighing heavily.

"I'm so sorry, Dora." Andromeda whispered, "This is all my fault . . . Bella only hates you because of what I did—because I left—if I hadn't . . . I don't know . . ."

"If you hadn't I wouldn't be born." Nymphadora mumbled tiredly.

Andromeda jumped slightly at the unexpected response from the girl before sighing. "How long have you been awake?"

Dora didn't move from her comfortable position snuggled into her mother's side as she spoke, her voice strained from all the crying and screeching she had done the previous day. "I don't know . . . A little while . . ."

Andromeda shook her head, kissing her daughter's hair again before moving her arm from under her. "In that case, I can reclaim my arm. I lost feeling in it hours ago but didn't want to disturb you." She ignored her daughter's groans of protest as she shuffled down to instead lay next to the witch. "Sorry darling, but I like my arm."

"Fine." Dora groaned, slowly opening her eyes to look at her mother's identical pair staring back at her. "It's not your fault, even if the initial hatred was there because you're related—" Dora sniffed, reaching out and gently laying her arm on her mother's side. "—I—I probably made that vendetta against you a hell of a lot worse for being an Auror, Order Member, Niece of a Death Eater whilst we both go around preaching the exact opposite views. Maybe we could have stayed under the radar otherwise . . ."

"You would never have been happy doing anything but being in the Order and an Auror." Andromeda scoffed, each witch smiling sadly at the other before the elder witch spoke again. "This is no-one's fault—No-one's apart from my deranged sister and her despicable husband . . . In fact, if Bellatrix wasn't so cruel and did her duty as her wife Rodolphus wouldn't want to go near you—so let's blame Bellatrix."

"I like that idea." Dora sniffed, looking down towards her stomach. When she looked back up to her mother her voice was strained, tears filled her eyes with a look of sadness and fear as she spoke again. "I—I can't do this mum, I can't have this baby."

Andromeda reached out, wiping the tears from the girls face with her hand before she gently shushed her crying. "Dora, look at me." Andromeda spoke firmly, trying to keep the heartbreak she felt for the girl off of her features. "You are Nymphadora Lupin Nee Tonks, you have been through so much in your life and overcome it already. You got into Auror training, despite what everyone said about your ability to do so, you passed that training with flying yours, you joined a secret organisation to fight for what you believe in despite your job and life being on the line for doing so, you won Remus over, had a beautiful son that you fought for every day even when his own father doubted it would be safe—For Merlin's sake Dora, you gave birth to your first child and went and fought in a war within weeks of each other. I know you can get through this, you are the most determined, strong and passionate person I know." Andromeda smiled sadly, squeezing the girl's arm reassuringly. "Besides, you need to think, this child may be Rodolphus' but they are also _your_ child. You need to be strong for them and protect them just as you do Teddy."

"Mum—" Dora began, though was quickly interrupted by her mother again.

"No, you have to be strong Dora." Andromeda sat up in the bed, pulling the girl to sit up next to her. She looked her firmly in the eyes, grasping her hands tightly. "You have to have this child, you have no choice. It will be hard, it will be painful, but you have to. Take this to your advantage—" Andromeda shook her head to silence the incredulous look her daughter gave her. "Rodolphus has to keep you happy to a certain extent, if you get too stressed or upset it is bad for the baby. Point this out to Rodolphus, he won't hurt you when you're carrying his only chance at becoming a father, though you may be able to make yourself—and Teddy even—more comfortable."

"I—I suppose." Dora sniffed, taking her hands away from her mother's as she swatted the last of her tears away. "I—I have to be strong, don't I? For Teddy . . ."

"Yes," Andromeda nodded, leaning forward and kissing the girls cheek before she took hold of her shoulder, smiling at her. "for Teddy. You can do it, Dora."

* * *

Rodolphus had stayed away from her for a few days, Dora was initially pleased with the man's sudden absence in her life though, considering the man had promised he would not leave her alone, as the days continued to pass she was more and more concerned by his absence. As she sat on the floor of Teddy's room, watching as he pushed around the old wooden train with delight, Dora couldn't help but smile at his innocent laughter.

"I'll see if I can get him some books or something the next time I'm looking after Delphi." Narcissa looked on from her seat in the rocking chair of the room, frowning thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Cissa." Dora smiled at the woman before looking to her son. "What do you say, Teddy?"

"Thanks!" Teddy grinned, giggling as he ran over to Narcissa, raising his tiny arms in the air until Narcissa obliged and held the boy on her lap gently rocking the child. "Food soon?"

Dora sighed, pulling herself to her feet with a nod "Yeah, I'll go get—" the woman froze as she felt the wards of the wing quiver, admitting someone in. She chewed her lip for a moment before looking to her Aunt. "Narcissa?"

"We can wait for food, can't we Teddy?" Narcissa spoke softly, kissing the boy's head. "Like a good boy."

"'Kay." Teddy sighed dramatically before wriggling off the woman's lap and returning to his toys.

"Mummy will be back, Teddy." Dora gave the pair one last look before she composed herself, taking a deep breath as she left the boys bedroom.

"Nymphie!" Rod called with a grin, laughing at the hard gaze of the woman before him. "Let's go into your room, shall we?" he laughed at the flash of fear across Nymphadora's face. "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you, the opposite in fact. Come on."

Dora narrowed her eyes at the man, ignoring his amused smirk before she obliged, staying to the side of the door within the room as Rodolphus went over and sat on the bed. "Oh come on, Nymphie." Rodolphus smirked, "Why so tense?"

"Do you seriously need an answer to that question?" Nymphadora spat, folding her arms firmly across her chest. "What do you want?"

"Ouch." Rodolphus chuckled. "So cold." The man sighed "Come sit down, Dora." After a few moments, he rolled his eyes. "Sit down before I make you sit down." He spoke more firmly this time, smiling in his triumph as the woman begrudgingly walked over to the bed, sitting next to the man and flinching as he reached out, her entire body tensing as Rodolphus placed a gentle hand on her stomach. "How are you feeling?" he rolled his eyes as the woman let out a scoff.

"How do you _think_ I feel?" Nymphadora snapped.

"Hormonal, clearly."

"I am not hormonal." Dora growled, gripping tightly onto her skirt. "In regards to how the baby is affecting me?" Dora sighed as he let his hand go of the woman, turning to face her instead. "I've been sick every day for a week, sometimes multiple times."

"Fine, I'll get you some morning sickness potion." He nodded.

"I—" Dora swallowed, averting her gaze to the floor as she rubbed her stomach. "Why are you here?"

"You have a healer coming over." Rodolphus spoke matter of factly, rolling his eyes as Nymphadora snapped her eyes to look at the man.

"I do not need a healer—unless you've decided to let me get rid of it, then, by all means, bring them in." Dora flinched as Rodolphus stood up, slapping her hard and fast.

"Do not say such things." He growled, narrowing her eyes at the girl.

"Don't touch me!"

"I can touch you if I like, we have already established that, Nymphadora." He grasped onto her chin, forcing her to look up at him as her hair tinged red. "You will do as your told, you will do anything I tell you to."

"Am I interrupting something?" Rabastan Lestrange laughed as he walked into the room, causing Nymphadora to try and pull away from the man to no avail.

"No, nothing." Rodolphus murmured, roughly relinquishing his grip on the girl as the second man entered the room. "Greer." Rodolphus smiled, walking over and shaking the man's hand. "Nice to see you again."

"Rodolphus." Healer Greer spoke curtly, shaking his hand for a moment before looking over at the woman on the bed. "Mrs Lupin." Dora winced, morphing her bright red hair into a shoulder-length mousey brown.

"Cat caught your tongue, Nymphie?" Rabastan chimed, moving to lean against the wall, making Dora fidget in her discomfort at his stares.

"I don't need a healer. I went through an entire pregnancy without a healer I can do it again." Dora muttered under her breath.

"Well, Mrs Lupin, that may be." Greer rolled his eyes, putting his bag down next to the bed before moving to stand in front of the woman as her gaze moved to glare up at him. "But I have been told you have no idea as to how far along you are, seeing as you've been at Madame Lestrange's mercy I do believe it advisable to have the child checked over. We can find out how far along you are whilst we're here. Now lie down."

Dora placed a hand on her stomach on instinct, looking up to the man and staring into his eyes until he gave a huff of annoyance and looked between the two Lestrange brothers. She felt Rabstan's grip on her arm first, instantly yelling at him to get off as he pulled her back.

"Now now Rabastan, you may have seen my memories but don't get any strange ideas about touching her, she's mine." Rodolphus chuckled at the woman's incredulous stare, her lips parted in shock at what he just said.

"She's Bella's, not yours." Rabastan let go, motioning for his brother to get the girl to lay down.

"I have her 'on loan'—Bella's words, not mine."

"You are disgusting! The pair of you! Get away from me." Nymphadora glared, her hair returning to red as she glared at the man beginning to approach her. "I can lay down myself." Her glare did not leave the man as she moved back onto the bed, resting her head on the pillows as she gripped her hands tightly onto the sheets beneath her.

"Relax Nymphie." Rabastan laughed. "No-one's going to hurt you."

"Fuck you." Dora grimaced.

"Well, if you insist."

"Rabastan, behave or else you'll be asked to leave." Rodolphus smirked, his eyes flitting to his brother for a moment before he stared intensely at the Healers movements. He watched as he lifted Dora's top to reveal her bare stomach, automatically moving himself closer to the bed as the healer drew his wand.

"Relax." Greer muttered under his breath, watching the woman as she forced herself to stop glaring at the ceiling whilst trying to unclench her fingers from the sheets. It was only after she took a deep breath that the man begun to mutter spells under his breath. Rodolphus watched intently, Rabastan soon losing interest and instead wandering his gaze around the room in his boredom, Nymphadora forced herself to breathe slowly as the strange sensation of Greer's magic inspecting her womb. When the man finally moved away from the woman Rodolphus instantly looked straight to the healer.

"Well?" Rodolphus asked impatiently. "How is the baby? Healthy? How far along is she?"

"You've never been a patient man, not even at school." Greer smirked, reaching down to his bag and pulling out a few bottles and placing them on the side, pointing to each in turn. "Vitamins and the likes, this one is morning sickness potion. Each can be taken one tablespoon once a day, though stop taking the morning sickness one when you no longer feel you need it."

" _Gordon_." Rodolphus glared when he noticed the small smirk forming on Nymphadora's lips at his apparent annoyance.

" _Rodolphus_." Gordon Greer smirked, gathering his things as he stood tall next to the man yet again. "Mother and child are both fine. The child is certainly healthy. Nymphadora is around six weeks along. Before you ask," Gordon smirked as he looked to Rodolphus, his mouth already open ready to ask his next question. "I do not know the sex of the child yet. You're far too impatient."

"Got that right." Rabastan chimed.

"Fine." Rodolphus glared playfully at his brother before shaking the outstretched hand of his Healer friend. Rodolphus said goodbye to the man, nodding for Rabastan to see him out of the wards of the wing again to which he begrudgingly obliged. It was only once he felt the wards opening to release the pair from its hold that Rodolphus finally looked back down to the witch still laid on the bed, blankly staring at the ceiling.

"I hate you." Dora breathed.

"You say that as if I care, Nymphadora." Rodolphus scoffed. "Take your potions."

With one last look at the woman, Rodolphus left the room, a contented smile on his lips as he thought of his unborn child. Nymphadora still did not move an inch, a single tear silently falling as she slowly pulled her hand to rest on her stomach willing her eyes shut. "I'm sorry, baby." Dora whimpered, choking back a sob. "I'll try to love you, I swear . . . I'll keep you safe from him if I have to . . . If I must have you." The woman began to sob silently, curling onto her side as she took one of the pillows. She hugged the pillow closely to herself, wishing more than anything that it was not a pile of feathers encased in fabric but the warm body of her late husband. Remus would know what to do, how to comfort her, he had always known. Though this thought only made her cry more profusely, eventually succumbing to the unconsciousness of her desperate heartbreak.


	15. Enduring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awwww I just love Rodolphus in spite of himself. XD He's so wicked I can't help but adore him.
> 
> Andromeda_Tano

Nymphadora sat quietly on the couch next to Narcissa, watching Teddy laugh, looking through the picture books his aunt had brought him. She was grateful that Narcissa didn't seem to judge her for her current situation: she felt awful enough without added ridicule. Teddy grinned up at his mother. "Mum," he said, patting the floor beside him. "Come plaaaaay."

"No, Teddy," Dora sighed. "Mum doesn't feel good."

"But why?" Teddy pouted, his brown eyes pleading with her.

"Have you been taking your potion?" Narcissa asked her with a frown.

Nymphadora scowled, and Teddy pulled himself to his feet, going to his mother's side and asking to be taken up into her arms. "Oh, Teddy," his mother sighed, pulling him onto her lap.

Narcissa sighed softly. "Dora, you need to take care of yourself," she said gently. "It'll be better for you if you do it on your own."

The younger witch shuddered and held her son closer. Teddy wriggled in protest. "Mum," he sighed. "Come play!"

"Teddy," Narcissa said to the child, "your mother is sick."

"Will you play?" Teddy demanded of her, and Narcissa hesitated before nodding, sliding down to the floor with her nephew.

Dora gently rubbed her stomach, sighing as she thought of the baby she carried and worried about what was going to happen to her and the child. She finally Summoned her potions from her room and took them, unable to keep from making faces at the awful taste. Stupid Healer would have given them the worst possible taste.

She leant back and closed her eyes with a tired yawn. She was nearing sixteen weeks and was already showing ever so slightly. She was sure that it was visible, though as self-conscious as she felt, it could have been her imagination. Dora swallowed hard as the wards seemed to shiver ever so slightly. "I-I'm sorry, Cissa," she sighed, getting to her feet and walking from the room.

"I don't mind," Narcissa said firmly. "Be careful, Dora."

Nymphadora nodded, wincing as she left the room, feeling an arm wrap around her torso immediately. "Nymphie," came a soft whisper and a chuckle as the man took her down the hall to her own room.

"What do you want?" she asked, feeling his hand slide down to rest on her stomach. "Rodolphus—"

"You are already showing," he breathed, and she shivered at his tone of wonder. His hand slid under her shirt as he pulled her to sit on his lap on her bed. "Hi, little one," he murmured, almost as if Dora didn't exist.

"Rod, you're insane," Dora groaned, trying to shuffle away from him. "Surely you didn't come here merely to talk to my stomach."

He pulled her back to himself quickly, smirking into her eyes. "Of course not, Nymphie," he said before kissing her roughly, the girl gasping for breath when he finally drew back. "I think," he said thoughtfully, "that you could be useful even while you're pregnant, hmm? We both know how pleasing you can be when you choose to be, Nymphie."

She glared at him. "No," she snapped. "I won't do anything for you, no matter what it is, until this child is born. I will not be blamed for anything that happens to it."

Rodolphus glared back at her, his hand suddenly grasping a handful of her hair and making her eyes water as he pulled her head back. "Going to fight me, Nymphadora?" he hissed. "You know what that gets you."

"Does it?" Nymphadora spat. "Would you torture me, when I carry your child? The only reason I would protect this child is because of Teddy. There is no other reason. Now, if you still want to hurt me, or force me into p—pleasing you, the only thing you will do is stress the baby."

He hissed in anger, releasing her hair and making her sigh slightly. She rubbed her hand over her stomach again. "We should be able to find out the gender of the child soon," she said to him. "Three or four weeks more."

Rodolphus smirked. "Good," he said. "I've waited a long time, Nymphadora. Do not mess this up." He wandlessly turned out the lights in the room, and she was shocked to feel him pull her to lie down, her head pillowed on his chest as his hand rested on her stomach. "Soon," he murmured, and she got the distinct feeling that he was not speaking to her.

 

Nymphadora woke the next morning to find herself curled comfortably on her side, alone in her room. She yawned and stretched slightly, sighing before she reached out and took her prescribed potions with a shudder. She lay there for a long while, her hand resting on her stomach as she tried to think of something interesting to do with herself. She was just getting out of bed when she heard a soft knock on the door and looked up nervously. "Who's there?"

There was a moment of silence, and then a voice called quietly, "It's just Draco."

She bit her lip, then said, "Come in." She watched him walk in, glancing to her wand on her bedside table before she sighed. "What is it, Draco?"

"Well, I'm tired of sitting in my room," he said, an uncomfortable look on his face. "And I thought you might be too...and since we're the only two that can leave the ward...you know."

"House tour?" Dora said, finally cracking a grin.

"Sort of," he said. "Though I don't really want to see anyone...we'll have to stay away from most places, but the grounds should be all right."

Dora nodded. "Let me get dressed and I'll be ready to go out," she said.

Draco quickly backed out of the room, and Dora smiled slightly to herself, walking to her wardrobe to select a dress. Moments later, she sighed deeply as she looked into the mirror, placing a charm on her dress to make sure her child, whether noticeable or not, was concealed. She left the room quietly, joining Draco on the way to the front of the ward.

"I haven't been out but once since we were brought here," Draco muttered. "I was harassed by the others, though I think with two of us it'll be safer."

"I can claim safety because...because of this child," Dora scowled. "They wouldn't dare hurt me."

"You think," Draco said mirthlessly. "Come along then."

Dora decided not to judge the boy for his skepticism and followed him without question. He led her quickly along the halls, the two darting into this doorway and that doorway in order to avoid anyone that was passing by. It was with a shudder that Nymphadora watched Rodolphus walk by with another Death Eater. She unconsciously rubbed her hand over her stomach as she glared at the father of her child, seeing his now almost permanent smirk.

Draco hissed for her to move, and the two hurried down the hall, darting across the entrance hall and through the doors out into the grounds. "So where are we going, exactly?" Dora asked finally as they headed for a group of trees, out of sight of the house.

"Over here, first," he said. "To make sure we weren't followed."

"Yeah," Dora muttered, looking around nervously. The moment the two were past the tree line, her eyes widened at the sight of a broom shed. "Quidditch?" she said in surprise. "I haven't flown for at least a year!"

"Me either," Draco answered. "But I just meant a walk...we could fly if you feel up to it, though." He looked at her cautiously, and she almost laughed.

"Flying is no challenge for me, pregnant or not," she told him haughtily. "I was pregnant with Teddy when the Order lifted Harry from Privet Drive."

Draco merely walked toward the structure, opening the door to reveal several brooms. Nymphadora grinned and said, "Ooooh! May I fly that one?" and pointed to a newer looking racing broom.

The boy nodded, selecting another as Nymphadora happily took hers, looking it over before glancing back at Draco. "Coming, Draco?"

He seemed to startle slightly, selecting an older but well-kept broom and quickly catching up to his cousin. "Come on," he said. "This place used to be warded against being seen from the house, but I think the wards are down. At least we can't be seen from the rest of the grounds. We can fly safely here in these trees."

He mounted his broom and took off, waiting for her before he quickly led her to cover beneath the trees. "There's good cover here," he said. "But be careful: these trees are enchanted to set up obstacles for us. They'll do anything from wave their branches to throw acorns at us."

Laughing, Dora nodded. "An obstacle course?"

"Not really," Draco said. "Just something that Dad set up for me a long time ago. It helped me learn to fly after a lot of practise. Follow me for a bit and you'll understand."

"Okay," she grinned and laughed as he zoomed off without waiting for her. She followed him quickly, keeping up with him almost too easily, though he yelled for her to back off as he began to weave around trees.

"You'll be too close!" he warned her. "Stay back!"

She backed off, her mouth opening in shock as the trees began to sway, the branches shifting and leaves blowing as they darted around the trunks. She was thinking that she was beginning to get the hang of the course when a spell zipped past her ear. "Draco!" she said in annoyance. "Don't do that!"

"Do wha—" Draco swore loudly as he avoided a spell, both him and Dora looking back to see where the spells were coming from.

"Rabastan," Nymphadora growled, reaching for her own wand.

"Don't you dare!" the man on the ground yelled up at her. "Come down here this instant, Nymphadora. You too, boy."

Draco immediately began to obey, though Dora hung back defiantly. "I'm tired of being cooped up," she called back to him. "I wanted to get some fresh air!"

Rabastan shot another hex at her, and she hissed in anger. "If you hit me, idiot, your brother—"

"—will only be angry until I tell him that you are endangering his child," Rabastan retorted. "And I will go get him, Nymphie. He will make you come down from there, and you will like it even less."

"No!" Dora yelled, unable to keep herself from glaring at him, even as Draco landed a little way from the man. "I have always been a good flier, and I am not being reckless at all!"

"I will give you exactly ten seconds to get down here," Rabastan said sternly, "or I will be forced to get Rodolphus to retrieve you."

"What? Can't you manage a broom and me at the same time?" Nymphadora smirked. "Come chase me!"

Rabastan rolled his eyes. "Nymphadora. Five."

With a pout, Nymphadora directed her broom toward the ground and landed next to Draco, hissing as Rabastan stalked up to her and grasped her by the arm. "You should know better!" he snapped. "You can be seen from the house, and Rod would have a fit if he saw you out there like you just were! Malfoy!"

Draco jumped even though he had been looking right at the Lestrange. Rabastan laughed at the boy, then said, "Are you even supposed to be out here? At all?"

"I was bored," Dora glared at him, pulling away from him. "And I don't know my way around, but Draco does. He was the perfect one to go for a walk with me."

"I wasn't talking to you," Rabastan sneered. "Both of you: walk. You're going straight back to your wing, and I will have a word with Rodolphus about this."

Nymphadora glared at the man, but turned and walked before him with Draco, the two not looking at each other. She swore to herself that whatever Rodolphus said, she would get permission to at least go out into the grounds once in a while, as she did need some exercise to keep herself and the baby healthy.

Nymphadora hid in her room almost as soon as she arrived back, angry and upset, though she was well aware that Rodolphus would soon be coming to check on her. She turned toward him as he walked into the room and wrapped her arm around her stomach protectively.

"Nothing happened while you were out?" he asked sharply, quickly approaching her and pushing her back onto the bed.

"No," Dora growled. "I'm fine: there was nothing wrong. Your idiot brother thought that I couldn't handle a broom well enough to keep from hurting myself. I just wanted to go for a walk, to get a bit of fresh air...I thought it would be good for the baby."

She closed her eyes tightly as he sat down next to her with a sigh, reaching out and sliding her top up to reveal the small bump of their child. "Nymphie," he said softly, "remember that the safety of your brat depends on the safety of this child. No matter what you think you are capable of, I wouldn't want any...accidents to render you childless. I can't imagine how angry I'd be, Nymphie."

She sniffed slightly, turning her face away from him. "I needed a walk," she whispered. "I needed to get some fresh air for me and the baby."

"Don't cry," Rodolphus said in annoyance. "Your hormones—"

"That's your fault!" Nymphadora yelled at him suddenly, her eyes flying open as she glared at him.

"Of course," he chuckled. "Now, I won't say that you can't go for a walk, Nymphie, as I know it's good for my child, but no flying. And no activities like flying. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Dora said sullenly.

Rodolphus smirked slightly. "Good," he whispered, leaning down to press his lips to her stomach. "Very good, Nymphie. Now behave yourself: I'll be back tonight to stay with you."

Nymphadora clutched the sheets beneath her as she felt him kiss her stomach. She couldn't stand how obsessed the man was with the child she carried. His worshipful attitude disturbed her, as she knew that he didn't care a thing for her, only the son or daughter that she was forced to give him.

As he left, she curled on her side, screwing her eyes shut as she forced herself not to cry. He would return, and she didn't want to be a hysterical mess.

Almost ten days later, Rodolphus returned to Nymphadora's room, this time with the Healer that had seen her before. Nymphadora cringed, glaring at both of them, knowing exactly what Rodolphus wanted to know this time. She momentarily wondered why Rabastan wasn't there before she was forced to lie back on her bed, swallowing hard as she tried to ignore the cold hand holding her shirt up, the wand touched to her stomach.

Rodolphus bit his lip, Dora finding it almost laughable that the man was nervous. "So what is it?" he demanded finally. "What is the gender of the child?"

"Mrs Lupin," the Healer smirked as he ignored Rodolphus. "Have you been taking the potions I gave you?"

"Yes," Dora answered without taking her eyes off Rodolphus. "I have still been feeling sick, so I'm still taking the Morning Sickness one."

She could sense Rodolphus' impatience and reached out, grasping the Healer's left hand, gripping it so he could not easily pull away. "Is it a boy or a girl?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

Greer looked down at the witch holding onto him and spat, "Get off!"

She refused. "Tell me," she demanding, purposely letting her hair morph black as she watched him coldly.

Rodolphus drew closer to them as the man glared down at the witch. "It's a girl," he said finally, glowering at her when she finally let go of him. "You have a daughter, Lestrange. They're both healthy. Good day." He gathered his things and was gone very quickly.

Nymphadora looked up into Rodolphus' face, completely unsure of what he would do. She didn't care either way, as she didn't even want the child, though...she supposed that he would have wanted a son... "Rodolphus?" she said, unable to bear his silent stare.

He walked over to her and placed his hand on her stomach, his face an emotionless mask. The girl sniffed a little, whispering, "Rod? Say something—anything, please."

He didn't speak for a while until Dora brushed some of her tears away, the girl struggling to hold herself together. "Better than nothing," he muttered, almost to himself, and Dora shivered, tears trickling down her face. He caressed her smooth skin gently, seeming to be lost in his own thoughts as the witch cried quietly, trying not to draw his attention.

She turned her head toward the door as it opened, Andromeda looking in, her face stony. "Is the child all right?" she asked, walking toward the bed, and Nymphadora stared at her mother in disbelief, a sob escaping her.

"Fine," Rodolphus answered softly, seeming to snap out of his daydreaming. "It's a girl...I suppose it's better than a half-blood boy. Nonetheless, she is my daughter."

"Our daughter," Dora sniffed through her tears, cringing as he whirled to glare at her.

"She is mine," he said coldly. "You understand, Nymphadora, that you will have no control over her. I will have the full say in how she is raised, and how I want her to be. You are just the way of arrival."

Nymphadora glared at him through her tears, Andromeda reaching out to stop her from sitting up. "I hate you!" Dora cried, her body shaking as she yelled at the man, her hair bright red. "I hate you more than anyone I've met in my entire life!"

Rodolphus merely looked back to his hand on the bump of their child. "Hate doesn't get you anywhere, Nymphie," he said, a smirk coming to his lips. "I have found that pain brings better results."

She turned her head away from him, helpless to do anything to make him go away. Andromeda merely sat down next to her on the other side of the bed and took her daughter's hand. Dora didn't move her hand, leaving it limp in her mother's hand as she cried. She was shocked that he didn't kiss her stomach in adoration this time, though her hair shot white as he added the strength of his magic to the wards already over the child.

"She will know me," he said, looking into Nymphadora's eyes. "She will know me by my magic from the day she is born. The child—my daughter—belongs to me, Nymphadora."

The white-haired witch choked back a sob and turned her face from him, unwilling to fight with the man in front of her mother. She burst into hysterical tears the instant Rodolphus left the room, Andromeda immediately cradling her close. "Mum!" Dora sobbed, burying her face in the woman's dress. "Mum, he's so awful!"

Andromeda held her daughter firmly, pressing a kiss into her pure white hair. "Oh, Dora," she murmured. "I'm sorry." Dora's body shuddered as she sobbed, and Andromeda finally said, "Dora, you need to breathe, dear." She sat her up a little and grasped her by the shoulders. "Look at me, Dora," she said firmly. "I know you don't want to, but you need to calm yourself. Being hysterical will only hurt you and the child, and consequently the rest of us."

"I hate him!" Dora sobbed as her mother forced her to sit there. "If I ever have the chance, I will murder him just the way I've been taught since I got here!"

"I believe you are completely entitled to that," Andromeda agreed, a small smile on her face. "Now, shh, Dora. Come here." She wrapped her arms around the girl, laying both of them down in the bed. "Let's rest together for a while," she murmured. "Teddy is asleep, and the rest of the wing is quiet."

Dora shivered in her mother's arms, crying on and off until she finally fell asleep, her mother stroking her hair gently as she wondered if carrying the Lestrange heir would be the destruction of her daughter.


	16. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please read, enjoy and please do let us know what you think if you have a minute!

"Mumma." Teddy giggled, running up to his mother's legs as she walked into his bedroom that morning. "Up please." Teddy requested, the nearly two-year-old holding up his tiny little arms with a look of all innocence on his features.

"Mummy can't, Teddy bear." Dora couldn't help but huff in amusement at his pout. "Darling, I can barely bend down to put shoes on," she gestured to her now 34-week pregnancy bump "I can't bend down to get you."

Teddy looked at her for a moment before with a determined nod he ran over to his bed, gesturing for his mother to follow him before he jumped up onto his small bed. Once he had determined that he had found his footing he turned, his hair turning a bright turquoise as he held his arms up to his mother again. "Up now?"

"Cheeky." Dora laughed. Though she nodded in defeat, walking over to him and letting him wrap his arms around her neck as she wrapped an arm around him. With a wince at the awkwardness of the manoeuvre, she placed the toddler on her hip, kissing his turquoise locks. "Happy now, Master Lupin?"

"Yup!" Teddy giggled, kissing her cheek.

"Good." Dora smiled, letting her hair tinge a slight pink as she looked down at the boy. His green eyes stared up at him with such trust, such love, such similarity to his father's own. She blinked back tears as she kissed the boys head. "Where to, hmm? What are we doing today?" She bounced the boy on her hip slightly, much to his delight. "We can read, we can play with your toys, we can see Nanny or Cissa or Draco . . ."

"Nanna!" Teddy grinned. "Food first."

"Teddy," Dora sighed. "Did the elves not bring you breakfast?"

Dora bit her lip as her son shook his head, resting on her shoulder as he mumbled "Hungry." She suddenly felt a pang of guilt that she had wolfed down the porridge that had been brought to her that morning. She should have known that Rodolphus would make sure she was fed, though the rest of the prisoner's wing had clearly remained on the unpredictable eating times the Death Eaters instructed the elves to dish out. She wanted to kick herself for not keeping a closer eye on Teddy, though her pregnancy brain had left her with her normal priorities strewn all over the place.

"Okay, Teddy." Dora nodded, taking a deep breath as she realised what she would have to do. "You go to Nanny whilst Mummy gets you food, okay?"

"Okay." Teddy nodded, sitting up in his mother's arms as she made her way to Andromeda. Dora smiled slightly as she let the boy reach out and knock on the door in front of her, waiting for her mother's reply before she went into the room.

"Wotcher." Dora smiled, ignoring her mother's disapproving sigh as she walked over and took the giggling two-year-old into her arms.

"Dora, if he saw you carrying Teddy like that—"

"He's not stopping me caring for my son." Dora snapped, glaring for a moment before she shook the oncoming red out of her hair. "Can you look after him please, just for a little while."

"Of course." Andromeda frowned, putting Teddy down onto her bed. "Is he coming?"

"No." Dora shook her head. "Look, don't worry about me. I'll be right back."

"Dora—" Andromeda tried to call after her daughter to stop her but it was too late, she'd already walked out of the room again. Leaving Andromeda Tonks to merely worry about her only child as she looked after her Grandson.

For all of her stealth training and years of practice, Nymphadora Lupin found it undeniably difficult to manoeuvre around Malfoy Manor unseen with her stomach so large. On her way down to the kitchens she passed at least two Death Eaters, each sniggering at her and muttering under their breath to the other as she tried to walk past as quickly as she could. She was well within her rights to walk the manor, she had been doing so ever since her little escapade with Draco, though that didn't make her any less nervous in doing so alone. She acted as quickly as she could, slipping into the kitchens and stuffing pulling enough food onto the counter to last a short while. Dora smiled to herself as she found a slab of chocolate hidden at the back. Teddy had never had chocolate, though she was sure that he would love it just as much as his father had. She couldn't wait to find out. After enchanting the food to shrink small enough to put into her pockets Nymphadora left the kitchens with a small smile still present on her lips. Memories of her last pregnancy flowed happily through her mind, recalling Remus' secret annoyance of her sneaking from his limited chocolate supply. He would never deny her anything, especially when she was carrying his child, though as much as he told her it was fine to eat his precious treats she knew that it did sadden him to see his limited supply dwindle.

It was just as Nymphadora was passing another what she thought to be the last corner back to the prisoner ward with a sense of accomplishment that she felt it. A force pulled her backwards, a yell escaping her as she felt her back slam into the wall. Dora immediately clutched onto her stomach, mentally checking herself to ensure she hadn't hurt herself in her sudden movement.

"Oh don't worry Nymphie," Bellatrix Lestrange purred as she slowly walked over to the witch now staring at her with a mixture of fear and hatred. "your bastard brat is all warded in, isn't it?"

Dora straightened her back against the wall, slipping one hand down to her wand as the other protectively guarded her stomach. She swallowed hard "What do you want?"

"Aww," Bella smirked, continuing towards her niece until she was merely an inch from her stomach. "aren't I allowed to check up on my niece? The woman carrying my husband's child."

Nymphadora's breath hitched in her throat though she continued to try to look at her Aunt with defiance. It was only when she felt the touch on her swollen stomach. Her eyes flickered down, watching Bellatrix's long fingers slowly grazing across the fabric of her dress. She remained as silent and still as possible though each and every fibre in her being told her to escape her, to hit her and run. She gasped slightly as she felt her daughter kick out, right on the spot that Bellatrix was touching. Bellatrix immediately pulled her hand away. Nymphadora stared at her Aunt, though the woman's did not leave the spot that the Lestrange heir had let her presence be known. Bellatrix's face was unreadable, staring down at Dora's stomach before without a moment's warning she raised her arm clasping her hand tightly onto her shoulder as suddenly a curse went surging through her body.

"Get off!" Nymphadora screamed, suddenly writhing as she tried to escape her touch.

"You whore!" Bellatrix screeched, her face lit with a crazed fury. "You disgusting piece of _filth_!" she let go of the curse, Nymphadora gasping for air as she slipped to the floor. Bella soon dropped to her knees in front of her, drawing her wand and jabbing it into the girl's neck. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"I didn't ask for this!" Nymphadora cried, trying to pull her neck away only to be pressed back into the wall. "I wanted to be rid of the baby! I didn't ask for him to come to me!"

"You should have rid yourself of this abomination." Bellatrix hissed.

"I tried," Dora replied, yelling out as Bellatrix slapped her hard.

"Not hard enough!" she growled, trailing her wand down her side and resting the tip on her wand on her stomach.

Nymphadora tried to move, though soon she was stuck to the floor. She could feel the wards on her stomach being interfered with, tears soon streaming down her face as she struggled for words to speak. "P—Please."

"Why, Nymphie?" Bellatrix pouted. "You don't want this child. Surely I'm doing you a favour."

"T—Teddy." Dora gasped, yelling in pain as she felt the wards violently ripped from her.

"Oh dear," Bellatrix pouted. "is Teddy going to get hurt?"

"Bellatrix!" A yell of fury echoed down the hallway, the woman looking up for a split second before she soon went skidding away from the metamorphmagus and violently landing on the wall next to her. Rodolphus stormed over to the woman, disarming her quickly whilst she was still caught off guard before storming over to her. Soon his hand was gripped around the woman's neck, pulling her up by her throat as she gritted her teeth to stop herself giving the man the pleasure of her sounds of discomfort. "How dare you!?"

Bellatrix glared at him furiously, grasping onto the hand currently pressed into her throat as she struggled to speak. "I hate you!"

Rodolphus slapped her with his spare hand with such force that Bellatrix's head rebounded off the wall, an involuntary yell of pain escaping her. "What did you use on her?" Rodolphus demanded, furious. "Tell me!"

"Fuck. You." Bellatrix growled. "Get off me right now before I go to The Dark Lord."

"Fine." Rodolphus narrowed his eyes as he dug a hand into his wife's side, sending a strong Crucio through her until her crazed laughter turned into a yell of pain. He held her against the wall for a few moments longer before he released the curse. "Let us both go, I'll tell him of your direct defiance in leaving Nymphadora alone whilst she is pregnant with my child—specifically not injuring the child."

Bellatrix yelled out in her fury, struggling to regain her composure before looked to her husband with pure hatred. "A Cruciatus . . . ripped the wards off." Her eyes flickered to the hysterical white-haired witch on the floor, a huff of amusement leaving her before she couldn't help but let an evil smirk grace her lips. "I didn't harm your bastard child. Though I'm sure it's hysterical mother is more than capable of doing that by herself."

Rodolphus struggled with his fury, trying to decide if he could torture his wife senseless whilst still ensuring that his unborn daughter was okay. It was with a furious yell of annoyance that he decided on the latter. He pushed the woman as far from him as he could, pleased to see her hit the floor. "I will deal with you later!" Rodolphus yelled before rushing over to Nymphadora.

"Ha!" Bellatrix cackled, pulling herself to her feet, laughing as she slowly walked away. "I look forward to it, Roddy," she called to her husband before disappearing around a corner.

Rodolphus watched the woman leave before he suddenly swooped down upon Nymphadora, the woman instantly trying to get away from him. "Get away!" Nymphadora yelled, tears streaming down her face. "Get off of me!" she cried as he drew his wand, making her light as a feather before taking her into his arms and lifting her.

"Calm down." He growled, walking on to the wards. He gripped onto her tightly as she yelled out in her hysterics, trying to get away from him. He ignored her protests as they entered the wards of the wing.

"Nymphadora?" Andromeda called as she left her room, quickly shutting the door behind her so that Teddy couldn't come out and see his mother. "What did you do to her?" she demanded.

"Nothing, you imbecile!" Rodolphus snapped, opening the door to Nymphadora's room as he struggled to get her squirming body past the doorway. "Go take care of the brat." He growled once he finally got past the threshold, slamming the door behind him before letting the girl down. He quickly locked the door as Nymphadora stumbled away from him.

"Leave me alone," Dora gasped, backing away from him as she clutched her stomach. "I'm  _fine_."

"You are hysterical and clearly not fine," Rodolphus snapped, walking over to the woman and grabbing onto her arm. "Get onto the bed."

"NO!" Dora cried, trying to pull away before hitting him hard and fast across the face.

" _Nymphadora_ ," Rodolphus growled. "Calm down. _Now_. I need to check the child."

"I can do that! I'm more than capable!" Dora cried.

Rodolphus growled in annoyance, pressing the girl into the wall as carefully as he could before drawing his wand and summoning a small potion bottle. The moment the struggling metamorphmagus saw the glint of the glass bottle she screwed her lips shut, turning her head away from the man. He clasped onto her jaw tightly, bringing the bottle to his lips as he ripped the cork off with his teeth. "Open your mouth, Nymphadora!" Rodolphus demanded, struggling not to hurt the witch in his anger when she furiously shook her head. It took longer than he would have cared to admit, but with great determination, Rodolphus pressed his fingers down into her jaw until the woman was forced to open her mouth. He quickly forced the potion down her throat, covering her mouth with his hand so she couldn't spit it out.

"Swallow," he demanded, narrowing his eyes until the girl was forced to comply with his request. "Good girl."

Nymphadora soon relaxed, her eyes drooping slightly as her resistance to the man soon faltered. Rodolphus huffed in his annoyance at the woman before he slowly took her over to the bed, gently laying her down. Dora barely flinched as he lifted her dress to reveal her swollen stomach before placing both his hands on her, adding his own protections back onto his daughter.

"What did you do to me?" Dora mumbled, rolling her head in the pillows to look up at the man as he drew her own wand from her pocket and placed it in her hand. "Wha—?"

"Add your own wards back onto the child, Nymphadora," Rodolphus sighed. "The mother's protections are always the strongest." Nymphadora stared at him for a moment before she nodded slightly, complying with his request. "Are you still in pain?" Rodolphus asked. He shook his head at her stubbornness of not replying to her before he drew his own wand and ran it down her side to relieve her of the residual pain of his wife's curses.

"What did you do?" Dora closed her eyes, letting her wand arm fall back onto the bed.

"It's a strong calming draught . . . I force Bella to take it sometimes." Rodolphus shrugged before smirking. "Though Bella is usually far more fun when she isn't calm."

"I—Teddy . . . He needs food," Dora groaned, going to get up before Rodolphus pushed her back into the sheets.

"The elves are due with lunch soon." Rodolphus rolled his eyes. "Is that why you were wandering the corridors? To feed the brat?"

"He's my son." Dora squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to come to terms with her forced state of calm that disallowed her from yelling at the man in anger as she so deeply wished to do.

"You need to look after my daughter," Rodolphus snapped before sighing and climbing onto the bed next to her. "I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on you, Nymphie." He sighed, laying back onto the bed before rolling Nymphadora into him. He rubbed her stomach thoughtfully, gently caressing the bump of his unborn child. "It's okay; you're okay . . ."

Dora cringed, shutting her eyes as her head ended up pressed into Rod's neck. She knew he wasn't talking to her. She knew she couldn't stop the man from doing as he wished. She knew that no matter how she protested she could not rid herself of the man who now cradled her in his arms, no matter how much she wanted. She let a tear fall down her cheek as Rodolphus continued to caress her stomach, murmuring reassurances to their unborn child. Nymphadora tried to ignore his voice, for if she kept her eyes shut and let herself escape into her memories slightly, she could almost pretend that it was Remus' neck that she was pressed into, that it was his arms around her. Soon she felt herself succumb to the calm and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Nymphadora was only 39 weeks pregnant, though as she paced the floor to her bedroom there was no denying what was happening to her body. She recognised the pangs of pain that had been coming on and off for at least an hour now; though she wanted to deny it, she knew that she was in labour. Her eyes widened as she heard a knock at her door. Dora looked to the mirror, morphing her black hair to a short purple and ensuring she showed no signs of the discomfort she was already in. The knock came again.

With a wince, Nymphadora called out for the visitor to come in. As the door slowly opened she was slightly relieved to see her mother slip into the room (not that she had thought it would be Rodolphus, he would never have given her the courtesy of knocking before entering her bedroom). "Wotcher Mum." Dora forced a smile onto her lips.

"Hello, Dora . . ." Andromeda frowned slightly, walking over to the girl as she looked from her stomach back to her face. "Dora, are you okay? You said you would be with Teddy for his dinner." The woman sighed as she looked at her daughter's untouched food. "Dora, you need to eat. That came over an hour ago—do you want me to heat it for you?"

"No, I'm not hungry." Dora turned from her mother, walking over to her bed as she tried to hide her pained features.

"You need to eat," Andromeda said. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly— _oh_." Dora grasped onto her bedside table, whimpering in pain as Andromeda soon ran over and leant over her to place a hand on her back.

"Dora!" Andromeda gasped before rubbing her daughter's back, trying to remain composed for her sake. "Breathe . . . That's it."

After a few moments, Dora unclenched her hands from the table, shaking her head as she thought back tears "I don't want him here . . . Mum, I can't do this . . ."

"Yes, you can," Andromeda reassured her, as she gently moved her over to the bed. She flicked her hand to open the door to the girl's bedroom so she could be heard past the wards of the room before calling out for her sister. "Come on, Dora." Andromeda wiped the tears from her daughter's pale face as she sat on the bed, kissing her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Narcissa Malfoy asked as she walked into the room, her eyes widening slightly as she saw her niece. "Is she . . . ?"

"I think so," Andromeda nodded. "Dora, how long have you been like this?"

"About an hour . . ." Dora sniffed, her arms clutching onto her stomach.

"I'm sure Rodolphus has told you what to do when you go into labour?" Narcissa frowned, almost not wanting to know the answer as she was sure she would be helping her sister with Nymphadora.

"H—he said to send for him. I don't want him here!" Dora cried. "I can't do this as it is, I do not want him here!"

"I'm sorry, Dora, but if that's what he's asked for . . ." Andromeda sighed before looking to her sister. "Narcissa . . . Draco's the only other person that can get out of the wards."

Narcissa pursed her lips: truly she did not want to send her only son out into the manor on his own—especially not to hunt down Rodolphus. Though as she looked between her sister and her niece she knew she had no choice. "I'll send Draco," Narcissa said. "I'll be back with some fresh towels."

* * *

Draco carefully manoeuvred around the manor, slipping quickly past the other Death Eaters that he came across on his mission to find his uncle. He had already tried some of the places where he thought Rodolphus may be lurking, though in all honesty, he knew that the one place he hadn't checked would be the one place he would most likely find him. Draco took a deep breath as he rounded the corner to the corridor that held Bellatrix and Rodolphus' own bedroom. He felt his heart drop, fear running through his mind as he saw his deranged Aunt walking towards her room from the other side. The woman frowned slightly before an evil smirk graced her lips, slowly walking over to her nephew who was now frozen to the spot in his fear.

"Draco." Bellatrix grinned as she reached the boy before pouting, speaking in her childlike tone. "What has lured my ickle nephew out of the prisoner wing, hmm? Are you being naughty?"

"N—no." Draco stuttered, trying to find strength inside himself.

"Well, if you're not being naughty, you must have a good reason for being out and about." Bellatrix raised an eyebrow at the boy, smirking at the fear radiating from him. "Do I scare you?" Bellatrix mocked hurt, bringing her hand to her chest. "That deeply upsets me . . ." she giggled as she shrugged. "No, I lie. It doesn't."

"W—where's Rodolphus?" Draco straightened himself, forcing himself to look into the crazed eyes of his Aunt Bellatrix.

"In our room." Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "He's going over names for the brat." She made a face of disgust before reaching out and pushing her nephew back as he went to pass her to their room. "What do you want Rodolphus for?" she narrowed her eyes, drawing her wand merely to scare the boy. "Spit it out, boy."

"I—" Draco gulped as his eyes became glued to the point of his aunt's wand, careful of what she may do with it. "Nymphadora's in labour—h—he told her she had to inform him when she went into labour."

Bellatrix looked the boy up and down, considering him for a few moments before pocketing her wand again. The smirk returned to her lips. "Go back to Nymphie, Draco. I'll pass the message along . . . if Rodolphus isn't there by the time the child is born, come back for him when the brat does come." Bellatrix looked to the hesitance in the boy's eyes, suddenly moving towards him to get the desired reaction of him jumping back from her in fear. "Go!"

Draco nodded, turning on the spot before rushing back to the safety of the ward. A cruel grin appeared on Bellatrix's features as she twirled on the spot to return to her room. It was with a skip in her step that she slipped into her bedroom, smirking mischievously at her husband. Rodolphus barely acknowledged the woman as he poured over various books on the bed.

"Not got a name yet?" Bella chimed as she approached her husband.

"I think I have . . ." Rodolphus murmured, sighing in frustration as Bellatrix laid back onto the bed on top of his books. " _Bella_."

" _Rod,_ " Bellatrix giggled, reaching her hand up and stroking the stubble of the man's face. "Stop being boring." She whispered, smirking as the man raised an eyebrow at her before she sat up again before straddling her husband's lap.

"Mmm." Rodolphus looked into his wife's eyes, each of his hands coming up to rest on his wife's hips. "Finally feeling playful again?" Rodolphus leant forward, kissing the woman's neck.

"Perhaps," Bellatrix smirked, running her hands up Rod's chest to rest on his shoulders. "I thought I'd simply make this fun for me."

Rodolphus chuckled as he went to wrap an arm around the witch's waist, though just as soon as he went to pull her closer, Bella suddenly pushed him back onto the bed. Bella sighed forlornly, flicking her wrist to ensure her husband's wand went flying across the room before she drew her own wand, slowly tracing it down his chest.

"Bored already, Ma Belle?" Rodolphus frowned before a filthy smirk appeared on his lips "I can fix that."

Bellatrix quickly jabbed her wand into the man's chest as he went to move, narrowing her eyes at him for a few moments before the smirk returned to her face just as Rodolphus furrowed his brows in confusion. "You're going to stay here for a little while . . ."

"Why?" Rodolphus asked.

"Because Nymphadora's is in labour. Draco came to tell you," Bellatrix hissed as Rodolphus went to move, moving her wand to jab it into his neck to stop him moving. "No, you're staying here with me."

"Bellatrix." Rodolphus gritted his teeth, glaring at her in his fury. "I am not missing the birth of my child for your own amusement."

"Yes, you are," Bellatrix pouted, flicking her wand to constrain her husband to the bed. "I'll keep you company."

"Bella—"

"Oh, come now," Bellatrix sighed, leaning down to lie on him, resting her head on his chest as she looked up at his face with a giggle. "Don't be so angry. You would only distract the poor girl; she needs to concentrate."

"You don't care about Nymphadora, Bellatrix," Rodolphus growled, trying to escape the constraints.

"No," Bellatrix grinned, "but it sure is fun making you suffer, even if it does help her out."

" _Bellatrix—_ "

" _Rodolphus_."

"I _will_ make you suffer for this."

"Yes, yes." Bellatrix yawned. "You'll curse me, I'll curse you _—_ it's all becoming a very boring vicious circle if you ask me." She propped herself up as she rested an elbow on the man's chest, leaning her chin in her hand. "Labour can last _hours,_ you know. Think you'll enjoy being constrained for so long, hmm?" Bellatrix giggled as Rodolphus simply glared up at her. "Oh, cheer up, you'll have your _daughter_ soon."

"You infuriate me, Bellatrix," Rodolphus glared.

"I know." Bellatrix giggled before she leant down, kissing her husband deeply as she entwined her hands in his hair. She smirked against his lips as she felt him respond, pulling away with a crazed laugh. "That is why you love me. Poor fool." She ignored the man's growl of annoyance as she manoeuvred down his lap to lay on his chest again: she would be sure to have fun with the man before he finally got what he wanted.

* * *

A scream of agony echoed throughout the prisoners' wing before Narcissa moved from her niece's side to go and shut the girl's door. Nymphadora had been in labour for at least five hours now. The process had been slow and painful, but as Andromeda stood at the end of the bed, looking up from between her daughter's legs, Dora was gripping tightly onto the wooden poles of her headrest, her head falling back into the pillows as she cried freely.

"I can't do it," Dora cried, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can," Narcissa said, going over and taking one of the small hand towels to wipe the sweat from the now white and mousey-brown-haired girl's brow.

"She's right, Dora." Andromeda spoke firmly, trying to encourage her daughter. "You've done it before; you can do it again."

"No," Dora cried. "I had Remus then _—_ I need Remus . . ."

"Dora," Narcissa sighed, giving the girl a sad reassuring smile, "we would all prefer our husbands to be here with us, though we cannot have that. We carry on. You—you have Black blood. Black women do not need men to gather their strength when it's needed."

Andromeda looked to her sister, smiling slightly as their eyes met. But as Nymphadora screamed in agony again, her gaze was soon redirected to the task at hand. "Dora, push!"

"Argh!" Dora gritted her teeth, using all of her strength to attempt to bring her child to life.

"That's it! I can see her head." Andromeda reached down, trying to help her daughter.

"I can't!" Dora screamed.

"You can!" Andromeda yelled in reply. "Go on, beautiful. One last push."

Narcissa grasped onto the girl's shoulder in an attempt of encouragement, the girl near enough breaking the bed as she gripped on with all of her might. Without a second's notice, the room was soon relieved of Nymphadora's screams only to be replaced with the high-pitched cries of a newborn babe. Nymphadora fell back into the bed, panting for air as Andromeda took the child into her arms. Narcissa handed a towel to her sister, taking her niece's wand to clear the mess created before placing the wand back down on the bedside table.

"Well done, Dora." Andromeda looked to her daughter, the girl staring at the ceiling as she tried to regain her breath. The two sisters shared a glance, nodding sadly to each other, and the younger woman left the room so she could fetch her son to tell the news to the newborn's father. "Dora . . ." Andromeda sighed, cleaning up the crying baby as she walked to her daughter's side.

Dora glanced at her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at the bundle in her mother's arms. Without another word, she forced herself to sit up as her mother wandlessly moved the pillows to support her back. Dora took a deep breath before holding her arms out for the little girl, nodding to her mother. Andromeda leant down, gently placing the crying child in her mother's arms.

As Nymphadora cradled her daughter close, the cries soon quieted. Tiny hands reached up to clutch the fabric of her mother's dress as Dora moved the towel to get a better look at the girl. Dora was still crying, something she didn't realise until she saw a single tear fall onto the girl's soft brown tuft of hair, evoking a small whimper of shock from the tiny girl.

"I'm sorry . . ." Dora sniffed, whispering to the girl in amazement. "Mum, she's so tiny...she's so innocent."

"I know, love." Andromeda smiled sadly, sitting down on the bed next to the pair. "She looks just like you did when you were born."

"How could I ever—" Dora shook her head, rocking the girl gently as she leant down to press her lips to the girls head. "I will never let anything bad happen to you, I swear. I'll keep you safe . . ." the girl wriggled in her mother's arms, pressing her face into her chest. "Mum, how do I—I don't want him near her . . ."

"I know," Andromeda sighed. "But you can't stop him . . . he wouldn't hurt her."

"She's too innocent!" Dora cried, wincing as the baby girl let out a cry whilst her hair turned a bright red. "Shhhh, Mummy's sorry. Don't be angry."

Andromeda sighed. "For now, try to feed her before he gets here, okay? Maybe try to rest a little: you'll want to stay awake though, I'm sure."

Dora nodded, adjusting the girl in her arms as she pulled down her top. She bit her lip as the newborn found her way to her food, the child's mother not once taking her eyes off of her as she stroked her arm in her protective hold. She smiled slightly as the girl's red locks turned to a pale pink. She let out a sigh as Andromeda moved to lean against the pillows next to her, the girl resting her head on her mother's shoulder as she continued to watch her own daughter. "Thanks, Mum . . ." Dora mumbled, smiling as Andromeda kissed her head in response. The two witches watched the little girl feed, nothing but youth and innocence as she got her meal. Neither one wished to speak of the man on his way to them, nor of what Nymphadora would have to endure once he arrived. It was sure to be an uncomfortable encounter.


	17. Child of Shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Rodolphus XD I love him, no matter how awful he is. He's just so sweet with his baby girl. If he only knew what their future held XD
> 
> Dora

Draco left the prisoner's wing for the second time, much to his distaste. He knew why he was the one who had to go and tell Rodolphus that his bastard child was finally born yet that did not make it any more pleasant. Luckily it was nearing midnight now, so the corridors of Malfoy Manor were empty of the stray Death Eaters that were previously wandering its halls. Still, he moved quickly just in case. He never thought that he could feel so unsafe, so uncomfortable, in his his own home. Yet here he was, lurking the hall like some villain to inform his disgusting excuse of an Uncle of the birth of his half-blood child. He shuddered at the thought. As he reached the door to the room Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange shared Draco took a deep breath before knocking on the door. The old oak door opened slowly, though as the scene before him revealed itself Draco Malfoy sincerely wished that it hadn't.

Bellatrix smirked from her position laid across her husband as she traced circles lazily on his chest. "Hello, Draco." She purred.

"Get off of me, Bellatrix." Rodolphus growled, wriggling against the magical constraints of his wife. "You've had your fun."

"Oh really?" Bella pouted as she shifted off of him, sitting up. "I can never have enough fun."

Rodolphus growled in frustration before he looked to his nephew as best as he could. "Is she born? Is she safe? Healthy?"

"Is she a freak?" Bellatrix chimed, giggling at another growl of annoyance from her husband.

"She—" Draco hesitated as he looked between the two, wishing more than anything that he didn't have to be the one stood there right now.

"Spit it out, boy!" Rodolphus snapped.

"She's fine. I—I haven't seen her but mum said she seems healthy." Draco stuttered. "I—I don't know if she's like Nymphadora or not."

"Maybe I should go investigate." Bellatrix chimed as she jumped off of the bed, grinning down at her husband.

"Bellatrix Lestrange you let me off of this bed right now!" Rodolphus yelled in fury. Draco felt a shiver go down his spine at the ferocity of the man's request, though his Aunt merely giggled then continued to pout at the man.

"Oh, but we were having such an interesting time together." Bellatrix sighed, making the most of her husband's awkward position before with a roll of her eyes she drew her wand. "Hold still, I may lose my temper and hurt you."

Rodolphus glared at the woman, waiting patiently for her to remove the bonds until he finally sat up for the first time in hours. It took a moment for him to stretch out to regain feeling in his unused limbs though the moment he managed it he quickly summoned his wand. He got off the bed, turning on Bellatrix as he was soon looking down the tip of her wand.

"Oh we could most certainly argue this one out now, I'll have fun," Bellatrix smirked "though don't you have some bastard freak scum to go and meet?"

Rodolphus glared furiously at her, his entire face lit with anger before he let out a yell of fury. "I will get you back for this Bellatrix—and believe me, you will not be having fun when I do." With one last glance, the man stormed from the room, barging past Draco to get to his newborn daughter as quickly as possible.

Draco stood awkwardly, frozen to the spot in his shock and confusion of the events he had just seen unfold until the shout of his Aunt soon snapped him from his thoughts.

"Well?" Bellatrix demanded. "What are you doing here still? Go back to your mother, little boy! I have beauty sleep to catch up on."

Draco jumped back into action, quickly fleeing from the room and running after Rodolphus with all intentions to stay behind him and sneak back to his room without further disruption to his miserable day. It was without a doubt that Draco Malfoy came to the conclusion that he led a terrible life now, a situation that he was sure he would never get out of.

 

Nymphadora sniffed back tears as she held her brand new daughter close, trying to stay calm. "Mother," she whispered, "he can't—he can't come here—he'll hurt her! I can't let him; I've got to keep her safe!"

"I know," Andromeda said softly. "We'll keep the child safe..." She looked away from the child, the shame of it all making her bow her head for a moment.

"No!" Nymphadora cried in a panic as they felt the father of her child enter the prisoner's ward. "He can't!"

"Dora, this is his child," Andromeda said firmly. "You cannot stop him, but stay calm, and don't be hysterical."

Nymphadora was about to retort when the door opened and Rodolphus rushed in, a half look of anger and of excitement on his face. He went to Nymphadora's side after pausing after the door a moment. The man stared down at his baby in the witch's arms, his mouth slightly open in awe, the anger gone from his face.

He didn't move for several moments, finally reaching out to touch the child's face. "My daughter," he breathed, seeing her dark eyes open. "My baby girl..."

"Obviously because there is no man in you," Andromeda sneered.

"Get out," he snapped at Andromeda, finally realising she was there.

Andromeda leaned down and kissed her daughter's head, then rolled her eyes at Rodolphus and swept from the room.

Nymphadora held her baby closer, trying to shush the child's beginning cries. Rodolphus frowned at the witch. "What is wrong with her?" he demanded. "What does she want?"

"She—she's probably hungry," Dora stuttered nervously.

"Then feed her, Nymphie," Rodolphus glared at her. "Or we could always forget to send food to your cub."

Numbly, the witch tried to obey, but the baby didn't seem hungry. Dora looked up at Rodolphus as he scowled at her. "She's probably crying because she's afraid of you," Nymphadora said in annoyance.

Rodolphus glared at her before muttering, "She has no reason to be afraid...she's mine...my only child, and perfect daughter." He reached out yet again, touching the baby's hand gently.

To Nymphadora's shock, the little one quieted almost immediately, looking up to her father's adoring gaze. "May—may I hold her?" he asked, sounding awed.

"No," Nymphadora said, cradling the little one protectively.

"Nymphadora," the man hissed, seeming to snap out of his daydream, "I will hold my daughter. Give her to me, else you'll soon forget the pain you've just been through."

"But—" Nymphadora gave a small cry as the man easily took the child from her arms. She was left to stare at her abuser in fear as he held their newborn baby.

Rodolphus watched his little girl, a small smile of pride coming to his face as she reached out her tiny fist toward him. He gently touched her soft cheek, catching his breath sharply as she turned toward him. He leaned down, kissing his daughter's head.

Nymphadora shivered as she watched the two, wondering at the man's long silence. She was terrified of what he could be thinking, but knew she was powerless to do anything.

Rodolphus lovingly held his baby girl until the child's mother motioned him to sit on the bed. He sat, still watching the child until he finally whispered, "I love you, baby girl."

Dora shook her head in disbelief, unable to say anything in her concern that she would upset the man or the child—or both. She did not speak, shivering again as she watched the man adore his long-desired child. Rodolphus seemed to be enthralled by the tiny human in his arms, ignoring Nymphadora until she finally figured out something to say.

"What—what did you want to name her?" Nymphadora asked nervously.

"Her name is Elara," Rodolphus pronounced, looking up after a moment and frowning at Nymphadora.

The witch didn't speak, sniffing a little as the man looked back to the baby girl. Elara. Of course the man had to give the girl the worst name possible. It didn't sound remotely like anything Nymphadora had ever heard, but she knew the man had researched for hours to find the "perfect" name for the child, or so he had told the child.

Elara made a soft sound as she reached out a tiny hand toward her father's face, Rodolphus smiling back happily, absolute joy in his countenance. "Yes, Elara," he laughed softly. "I'm your father...you know me, don't you?" He kissed her head softly. "I knew you would. You're a smart little girl."

Nymphadora closed her eyes as Rodolphus continued to talk to his baby girl, tears falling down the witch's face. He seemed so happy with the child, but at the same time, the child was nothing but a symbol of shame and abuse to her. It broke her heart to watch the little one innocently look up at the evil man who had fathered her. Nymphadora knew she couldn't keep Rodolphus away from the child, but she swore on every deity she knew of that she would keep her daughter safe, no matter what.

 

Early the next morning, Andromeda looked in on Nymphadora to find her already awake, sitting up to feed her baby girl. "Did you get much sleep?" she asked the young Metamorphagus.

Dora sighed. "A little." She held her little girl close, a small look of fright crossing her face.

"What is it?" Andromeda queried, frowning slightly.

"He—he said he'd be back this morning," Nymphadora muttered. "You shouldn't be here, Mum."

"Nonsense," Andromeda said briskly. "You need a bit of help with the child before—what was her name, again?"

"Elara," Nymphadora sighed. "Mother...just go."

Andromeda gave her a stern look. "I'm not going anywhere. Now. Teddy wants you. I told him I'd come make sure you were okay, and then bring him to you. He needs to meet Elara, Dora."

Nymphadora looked down at the child she was cradling, then sighed. "Fine. Bring him to me. It'll be okay. It'll be fine."

The older witch regarded her daughter with concern, seeing that Dora was nearly talking to herself. She stepped out of the room and was soon back with Teddy, who yelled out excitedly when he saw his mother.

"Shh!" Dora said in a panic as Elara cried out in surprise.

Teddy stopped his rush toward his mother to stare at the little baby, and Andromeda walked up behind him, lifting him onto the bed beside his mother. "Teddy, this is Elara," Andromeda said gently.

Nymphadora looked up at her mother cautiously, then back at Teddy. "Teddy, this is your baby sister," she told him firmly.

"Rodolphus will not like that," Andromeda warned her.

Teddy looked between the two witches curiously, and Nymphadora glared at her mother. "I will not have that attitude, and I don't care what he says!" Dora snapped. "Elara, shh, baby. It's all right, Teddy. She's just a bit cranky because her meal got interrupted."

The boy looked nervously at the child, then looked up at his mother and gave her a small smile. "But Mum's okay?" he said, watching her for a moment.

"Of course," Dora said, giving her son the best warm smile she could before she reached out and hugged him into her side. "I love you, Teddy."

"Love you too," Teddy grinned, hugging her back carefully as he looked down at the baby. "Teddy's sister?"

"Yes," Andromeda sighed, deciding to go with her daughter's decision despite the possible consequences. "Elara is your sister."

"'lara," Teddy said with a nod.

"Elara," Dora corrected.

"Said that!" Teddy protested with a pout. "'lara!"

Andromeda couldn't help laughing a little. "Well, she's destined to be 'lara Lestrange for the rest of her life."

Nymphadora groaned. "Mum, that's not funny!"

Her mother merely turned to Teddy and said, "Come away now, Teddy. Mum's got to take care of Elara and rest."

"Can I play with Cissa?" Teddy asked immediately.

"Yes," Andromeda said, holding out her hand to the boy. "Come along."

Dora sighed a little, looking down at her baby. "What am I to do with you?" she asked despairingly. "I don't know how to protect you."

"Protect her?" came a male voice, and Nymphadora almost yelled in fright. "Protect her from whom, Nymphie?"

"Um," Dora said, biting her lip nervously. She wasn't sure if she dared to say what she was thinking.

Rodolphus Lestrange walked to Dora's side, sitting down and looking to his daughter immediately, reaching out to touch her soft little face. Dora knew she must have let thoughts of fear or anger escape, because he sudden looked at her with the most insulted expression. "I would never hurt my daughter, Nymphadora," he said, sounding pained at the thought. "No...she is my only child, my heir." He reached out to touch her cheek again and made a small sound of delight as she turned toward him, her face lighting up when she saw him. "Your father loves you, Elara," he said softly, almost laughing in his delight.

Dora sputtered in protest. "You are the most vile man who ever existed—barring the Dark Lord—Rodolphus Lestrange! How dare you say you would never hurt her? What would keep you from treating her as you treat any other woman in your life?"

"I waited years for a child," Rodolphus growled at her. "I daresay now is as good a time as any. I have always wanted to be a father, but things have been...difficult. But you're a good girl, doing what I taught you—and doing it well, I might add. Like to get back to that. Even though I didn't intend to conceive a child with you, I cannot deny that Elara is a great blessing. I love her."

"Ha!" Nymphadora ridiculed him. "I love her more than you ever could anything, including yourself!"

Rodolphus gripped her shoulder, a fiery Curse threatening to break from his hand through her body. "Do not forget, young Nymphie, that it was you who wanted the child dead when you learned of her. Do not forget that it was you that had to be restrained because of your violent thoughts against my daughter!"

"She is my daughter!" Nymphadora half screamed at him, her hair shooting bright red, and Elara began to cry, alarmed at the sudden disturbance.

"You didn't want her," Rodolphus hissed, his face very close to hers as he gripped her shoulder firmly. "You were going to get rid of her, Madam Lupin—" he spat at her "you wanted her dead!"

Nymphadora stared at him, struggling for words but unable to come up with something to say. "That's right," Rodolphus chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'll not forget having to keep a careful eye on you to make sure you were good during all that time. When we're talking about protecting my daughter, you are the villain."

She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to look at him or Elara, even though the baby was crying quite loudly. "She is pain," Dora whispered. "She is shame. But it isn't her fault. I accept that now."

"If it weren't for her father," Rodolphus said darkly, "it would be too late to accept that, Nymphie. Now. Get her calmed down and taken care of. I'll be back to stay with you tonight."

"I'm not well enough!" Dora snapped.

"I see you miss me," he chuckled, getting to his feet. "No. I think you still need watching, Nymphie. My daughter must be protected, as you say."

He barely left the room when Nymphadora had to cut off a roar of anger from deep inside her. She hated him. She wanted him dead. A thoughtful glance down at the child made her wonder what would happen to Elara without Rodolphus in the picture. Dora almost smiled, clutching the child to herself. Maybe one day she could find that out for herself.

 

"Mum!" Teddy said excitedly as he saw the sitting room door open and Dora walk in. He grinned at her, making her smile back slightly before she noticed Narcissa and Draco.

"Hello," Dora said quietly, walking to a seat beside her mother as she held Elara close.

Draco wouldn't look at her, but Narcissa looked to her niece and said quietly, "Hello, Dora. I'm glad you're able to be up and about."

Dora nodded. "Thanks," she said, returning her gaze to her baby girl. She couldn't help but notice that Draco got to his feet and slipped silently out of the room, making her feel absolutely filthy. It wasn't her fault.

Andromeda reached over and grasped her daughter's hand. "At least you have a while to rest until you've got to return to duty."

"Duty," Dora spat, surprised at the huff of amusement from Narcissa.

"Sorry, dear," Narcissa said with a slight smile. "You do sound like your mother sometimes."

"I don't like you going out there," Andromeda frowned. "It's dangerous."

"Not that it hasn't been," Narcissa added. "Just that, we have two little ones that need their mother. And I don't feel entirely sufficient to deal with them."

Andromeda frowned, seeing her daughter look over the two little ones in despair. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Dora," she said in a strange voice.

Nymphadora closed her eyes tightly. "You can't stop him."

Andromeda watched the girl for a moment, her heart aching in dread. "I will do what I have to."

Narcissa seemed curiously for a moment before she shook her head with obvious distaste. "Don't do anything rash now, Andy."

"Don't call me Andy!" Andromeda rolled her eyes at her sister. "I will do anything to protect my family, and you have said the same thing to me! I don't rush into something without a good reason; I'm not like that."

"Of course not," Narcissa agreed. "You plan it for ten minutes. Whatever idea you have, you had better at least sleep on it."

"Oh, Narcissa," Andromeda sighed in exasperation. "No. I don't even have a specific idea in mind. I've just got to keep Dora—now where did she go?" For Dora was no longer in the room, Teddy gone as well.

 

Nymphadora bit her lip. "I know it's awful," she said to Draco with a cringe, "but—well, she is my daughter."

Draco nodded awkwardly, though he seemed slightly intrigued by the little one. "Do you think she'll look like him?"

She shuddered. "Well, at least she can morph it away if she does. Do you want to hold her? I suppose she is your...first cousin once removed?"

"It doesn't matter," Draco shook his head. "Maybe just a minute or two?"

Dora stared at him for a moment, surprised at his willingness to actually hold the little girl. She carefully placed the little girl in his arms, trying not to act nervous as she watched him look down at her. He seemed to be thinking about something quite hard, though she wasn't sure why he'd have that sort of a reaction to her.

"She really is okay," Draco nodded, glancing up at the child's mother. "Pity about the father."

"And about yours," came Rodolphus' voice from the door. "And also a pity you didn't go the same way."

Draco suddenly looked so frightened and angry that Dora was surprised he hadn't instantly dropped the girl. She moved to get Elara from him, but Rodolphus had already reached out and taken the child from Draco's arms.

"Now run along, boy," Rodolphus smirked. "Why dwell on what you will never have for yourself? The House of Malfoy will fall, purely because of you, and your father. Weak, and pathetic. After how perfect your mother was—and oh, I heard about that from Lucius, by the way—you have all individually failed. But I waste my breath on you. Leave."

"While there is life..." Draco said, his face dark with fury, then turned and left the room.

Nymphadora turned toward the man holding her daughter, hiding her fear as she tried to think of something to say or do. The instant she went to say something, Rodolphus shook his head at her. "Don't defend him. If the boy can't stand up for himself—which he never has—then he won't survive. In fact, Nymphie, you obviously understand how things work better than he does."

Dora didn't speak, sinking down onto her bed and clasping her hands together in her lap. Rodolphus ignored her for a few minutes as he talked to his baby girl, encouraging her softly and laughing delightedly at her adorable gestures and expressions. Nymphadora bit her lip slightly, seeing Elara give her father a big smile.

"Rod," Dora breathed, motioning him toward the bed. "Come here. Sit."

He eyed her carefully for a moment, then went ahead, cradling the child cautiously. "Perfection," he sighed, kissing her short black curls. "Something most fathers could only wish for."

Nymphadora couldn't help but scoff at him. "She's a halfblood, Rodolphus," she spat. "Like me. That is not perfection, and you cannot pretend."

Rodolphus looked up at her as if annoyed at the interruption. "Always knew you could talk the talk," he smirked. "Your mother's influence, I'm sure. But against your own daughter?"

Dora just looked at him. "You should hear Mum when she gets going. None of us could handle her. I just...wouldn't want you to be delusional."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, grabbing her by the hair with one hand as she tried to pull away. Dora froze, worried that he would drop Elara. "Nymphie," he murmured against her cheek, his hand sliding down to rest on her hip, "no matter what you or anyone else says, Elara is my perfect little girl." He squeezed Dora's side, amused as she tried to pull away.

"Ah," he chuckled, and Dora jumped in shock as her daughter was suddenly gone from the room.

"Where's Elara?" Dora half screamed at him.

"Oh, don't worry," he sneered. "She's protected." He pushed her down onto the bed, laughing as she yelled out, all her old memories and fears of him rushing back into her mind. "Nymphie," he laughed, pinning her down with his weight as he bound her magic, "don't panic. You know that if you cooperate, I can be...kind."

"I hate you!" Dora yelled, though Rodolphus merely cut her off with a kiss, determined to play with her at least for a little bit before he abandoned her to her terror.

She was a shivering, pained mess by the time he left, stroking her hip deceivingly gently. "Soon," he whispered, leaning in to kiss her as his careful Curse died away. "Soon we will be back to normal. I look forward to it."

Dora curled onto her side as he walked away, the witch wrapping her arms around her knees as she struggled not to lose herself to her fear. "N—no," she sobbed as he walked out of the room, silently shutting the door behind him. "No more."

Andromeda froze in the doorway, Elara in her arms as she stared at her only daughter, lying curled on the bed, a vacant expression on her face. Andromeda drew a steadying breath, then stepped back out of the room. "Cissa!" she called urgently.

Narcissa's door open, the witch looking out into the hall. "Yes?"

"Could you take Elara?" Andromeda sighed. "Please? Dora's in bad shape..."

"Certainly." Narcissa walked forward, taking Elara into her arms. The child immediately began to cry, and Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Of course she hates me. Just my luck." The blonde turned around and went to her room without another word.

 

Andromeda went back to her daughter's room, her heart pounding in concern as she approached the bed. Dora's eyes were open, her mouth moving slightly, though there was no sound coming out. "Dora?" her mother asked, thoroughly alarmed. She reached down and gently pulled the girl's top to cover herself, wandlessly replacing and doing up the buttons.

Nymphadora lay silently, staring aimlessly forward as Andromeda watched her. "Please," Andromeda breathed. "Dora. Don't." Andromeda forced herself to close her eyes and take a deep breath to make sure she didn't panic as well. She knew exactly what Dora reminded her of: finding Bellatrix in nearly the same state when they were children at home. "Don't go that way," Andromeda whispered, gripping onto the fabric of her dress with one hand. "Dora, I can't save you—but I'll stand by you. I'll take care of you."

The girl did not move, and Andromeda stood there, fear flooding through her mind and body. She was going to lose Dora unless there was something she could do to help make things easier on the girl. The weight of shame, the pain, and all that Dora had been through was destroying her. I've got to, Andromeda thought, clenching her fists tightly. She needs help.

The older witch knew that Dora would be called back to "training" very soon, and that her missions would be getting more dangerous, and definitely more Dark. I would make a better Dark witch than Dora, Andromeda thought with a calculating look at her suffering daughter. I can handle the Dark magic better—it's natural for me.

Andromeda watched her daughter intently for a few moments, then decided to stay in the room for the night. She doubled the bed, blocking the door, and lay down, facing away from her daughter, as it was difficult for her to look at Dora so distraught.

Gritting her teeth and dragging up her left sleeve, Andromeda examined her bare arm. "I'm proud of you," she said, then grinned. "But the plans. Oh, the plans."


	18. Duty

The sun peered through the small window of Nymphadora Lupin's room, the woman winced as the light hit her eyes, the golden glow burning through her eyelids. With a small sigh of annoyance, Dora turned to the other side, though her heart soon skipped a beat and her body went rigid as she felt someone lying beside her. _Please no, please no, please no . ._ _._ the woman thought the same two words repeatedly until finally with one sudden forced bout of determination she opened her eyes. A deep breath left her lips in the relief of seeing her sleeping mother beside her, unknowingly letting a single tear slip. She vaguely remembered her coming into her room at one point the previous evening, though she was unsure when she had and upon reflection, she genuinely could not remember the woman getting into bed beside her. The Metamorphmagus watched her mother for a few moments, her back turned to her as her light soft brown curls fell over her face.

Her mother had been trying all that she could to help her, not that Nymphadora believed that she was within the realms of being able to be helped anymore. Though the disowned Black had certainly tried (along with her once sister occasionally trying to help now that Nymphadora came to think of it), from dealing with Nymphadora's hysterical pregnancy hormones to healing her wounds from her previous training . . . Dora shuddered at the thought of training. That would most certainly pick up again soon, yet another thing to make her miserable. Why couldn't she be happy again? Any small slither of happiness in this Merlin forsaken place so that she could clasp onto the straws of her apparently depleting sanity. She was being destroyed and she knew it.

"No." Dora whispered to herself, shaking her head. She wouldn't let it take her, she would end up some broken miserable wreck. She was Nymphadora Lupin Nee Tonks and Merlin damn it she would survive.

She closed her eyes, thinking of any happiness she could recall, anything to give her a moment's escape. Remus would have been able to help her, she was sure of it. Remus. With a sad smile, she reached out onto her night stand, feeling for her wand. She gripped the solid wood, holding it out in front of her as with her eyes still shut tightly shut she summoned her happiest memory. She thought of the first time she set her eyes upon Teddy Lupin, Remus close beside her as they both had tears of joy in their eyes. "Expecto Patronum."

Dora took a deep breath before she opened her eyes, instantly giving a genuine smile for the first time she could remember as the Patronus Werewolf stood before her. It craned its neck, sniffing the air before it tilted its head to its caster, perhaps waiting for a message to send as she had so frequently done in the past.

"What are you doing?"

Nymphadora nearly jumped out of her skin, swatting away tears she hadn't realised she had shed as the beautiful wolf before her evaporated into thin air. "I . . ." Dora shook her head as she turned to her mother, a look of slight concern on her features as she pulled her eyes away from where her daughters patronus had stood to look at the girl. "I just . . ." Dora sighed. "I don't know."

Andromeda thought for a few moments before she sat up, her hand casually slipping to rest on Dora's knee. "You used to send messages to the Order with your Patronus . . . Have you considered . . .?"

Dora shook her head, looking down to the wand still in her hands "No. Who would I try to contact now? Besides," Dora sighed "they have so many wards up around this place, Bellatrix once told me there was no use trying to contact anyone outside."

"I thought the Death Eaters didn't know about your—communication methods?" Andromeda frowned.

"Well they don't, as far as I know. But Snape might have told them before he died—they could have something in the wards that stops a Patronus going through—even if I did think of someone to try and contact who's to say they wouldn't be able to follow the Patronus somehow? That would put them at risk. How would anyone help us anyway? We can't get out, they can't get in. Even if we did get out we'd have a hard time staying hidden—I doubt Rodolphus would be too happy if his precious daughter went missing." Dora shook her head as she looked back to her mother again before looking to the empty cot in the corner of her room. "It's something I've thought of before—Remus and I discussed it before . . . Where is Elara anyway?" Dora's eyes widened slightly as her hair began to tinge white "Rodolphus—He— "

"He sent her to me." Andromeda sighed, squeezing the girls leg in some small attempt of comfort. "I went to bring her back to you when he left but . . . Narcissa has her for now."

"Oh . . . Good—I suppose . . . And Teddy?"

"Him too."

"Poor Narcissa." Dora bit her lip, though the white faded from her hair and returned to what was currently becoming her most used hair colour—mousey brown. "She must hate me."

"Whatever for?" Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Personally I think she enjoys the distraction—though perhaps a nearing three-year-old and a newborn may be a bit of a tall order. Shall we go relieve her of her duty?"

Nymphadora hesitated for a moment before she nodded "Yes . . . just let me get changed first . . . I'll get a bath later."

Andromeda smiled sadly as she leant over to her daughter, wrapping an arm around her as she hugged her close and kissed her head. "I'll go help her." She spoke softly in the girl's ear, not missing the fact that Dora did not hug her back "You take as long as you need, okay?" she pulled back to look to her daughter, only fully pulling away from her as she gave a curt nod in reply. She forced a smile for the young witch, climbing off of the bed and walking towards the door. She took one last look at the girl on the bed before she left the room. Her poor daughter looked like a frightened child, sat on the bed as she stared at her wand in her hand as if unsure as to what to do with the piece of wood, she couldn't bare to see her in such a state. Andromeda closed the door behind her as she tried not to simply focus on checking on her grandchildren. For now.

* * *

Nymphadora left the prisoner ward for the first time since her journey down to the kitchens before she gave birth to Elara, this time knowing that she would be coming face to face with her deranged Aunt. She would almost definitely end up on the receiving end of a curse or two again, that she could be certain of. She no longer had a child growing inside of her to ensure her protection—not that it had helped much before, though she knew she would have no-one willing to interrupt Bellatrix and stop the pain. Not that she wanted Rodolphus to help her. Not ever. Dora hissed at the pain in her mark as she approached the last corridor towards Bellatrix Lestrange's 'Play Room'. _Alright, I'm coming you impatient bitch_ Dora thought to herself as she clasped onto her left wrist to stop herself from rubbing the blasted thing (she was hesitant to ever touch the mark, though she had learned that it was only by pressing the mark with intent that would summon The Dark Lord). She couldn't help it if she was half way through bathing Elara when Bella called for her, what with Teddy climbing on her to watch and refusing to leave his mother to get his grandmother it wasn't exactly easy to get away.

As she reached the door it took more courage than Dora would have admitted to open the door. She'd just pushed a small human out of her body, surely she could cope with any pain that Bellatrix decided to put her through? As she watched her Aunt turn to face her from the other side of the room she was seriously starting to consider what would be worse, childbirth or her Aunt.

"Nymphie." Bella tilted her head as she looked down her nose at the girl, licking her lips as if a juicy meal had just been presented to her. "Why did you take so long?" Bellatrix pouted "I've been waiting."

_Because I've been looking after your husband's bastard child, idiot_ Dora thought to herself before she forced herself to look her Aunt in the eye, mumbling "Sorry."

Bellatrix let out a bark of laughter, twirling her waiting wand through her fingers "Oh Nymphadora, you do amuse me." Bella giggled "I daresay I've missed our time together." The woman slowly walked towards her niece, her eyes running up and down her as she took in her appearance "Have you missed me?"

"No." Dora spat, wincing as she spoke before she stopped herself. Though Bellatrix merely laughed, stopping twirling her wand between her fingers as she tightened her grip on the thing.

"Been enjoying your time with _my husband_ , hmm?" Bellatrix said, the grin on her face slowly fading into a look of all seriousness. "Well?"

"I think you know the answer to that, Bellatrix." Dora said, putting her hand on her own wand.

"Hmpf." Bellatrix's eyes flicked to the girl's wand for a moment before she glared back at her "Well he has been far too chipper of late for my liking. It's . . . disturbing."

"Well, I wish I could help you with that one."

"Ha!" Bellatrix tilted her head at the girl before she raised her wand "Yes, I've definitely missed this. **Everte Statum**!"

" **Protego**!" Dora yelled back just in the nick of time, the spell rebounding off of her shield. Determination came over her, fighting the witch as if she was fighting for her life. Though with given birth mere days previously she had still not recovered from the exhaustion of childbirth, forgetting the fact she was barely sleeping with a newborn baby to care for nor the fact the last weeks of her pregnancy hadn't exactly been relaxing. She was sleep deprived. Therefore, it was hardly a surprise when she couldn't quite jump out of the way of a spell barely a minute into the duel. She screamed in pain as her ankle snapped, causing her to fall back to the floor.

"Oh Nymphie," Bella pouted through her giggles, Nymphadora had not missed that babyish tone "you need to perfect your dance technique again. You were never quite this pathetic."

Dora turned her head away from the witch as she heard her Aunt walking towards her, willing the tears in her eyes not to spill as she tried to breathe through the pain. She wondered if she could morph the break away, it wouldn't be the first time she had done it but it had been a while. Though perhaps it was best to stay still until Bellatrix decided to make things worse for her. Soon she was staring at the witch's boots, though she refused to look up into her face even as she crouched down onto the floor beside her.

"Oh dear." Bellatrix sighed, pushing her wand under the girls face to force her to look up at her before she scoffed "Are those tears, Nymphadora? Dear Merlin, you are _pathetic_. You're never usually so awful. What is wrong with you, hmm?" Bellatrix asked, sending a small curse through the girl momentarily as she did not respond. She smirked as the girl cried out again, rolling onto her back. "Answer me."

"I . . ." Dora swallowed hard "I'm tired."

". . . . How often have you seen Rodolphus the last few days?" Bella asked, her voice void of emotion.

The metamorphmagus winced at the thought as she looked to her Aunt, trying her hardest to match the emotionless mask the woman had seemingly perfected. "Every day . . . Most of the day . . . H—He stayed one night . . ."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes as she moved herself to rest on her knees, looking to the girl's appearance before meeting her eyes again "Has he . . .?"

Dora instantly cringed, looking away from the woman as she felt the familiar feeling of shame and embarrassment overtake her again, wanting nothing more than to curl into a ball and disappear. She barely noticed as Bellatrix carefully pointed her wand at her chest, though as the sudden intense burning sensation came over her it was hard to miss. Dora's eyes bulged wide as her breath caught in her throat, this wasn't the Cruciatus Curse—she vaguely heard the incantation but neither heard it properly nor recognised the sensation. It felt as though fire was coursing through her veins, though from the glimpse the girl got of Bellatrix the usual sadistic glee that overtook her when hurting her niece was replaced with a severe concentration. Both witches gasped as the spell was released, Bellatrix sitting back in apparent exhaustion of the power of the spell as Nymphadora panted for breath, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

Dora slowly unclenched her fists, though the burning sensation was gone her entire body felt like it was dipped in a hot bath—a feeling that was surprisingly almost pleasant if it weren't for the ache of her bones. "W—What— "

"Shut up." Bellatrix snapped. " **Accio**." A small bag that had gone previously unnoticed came zooming into her spare hand, though just as quickly as she had caught it the witch threw it onto the other woman's chest.

Dora grunted as the heavy bag hit her, grabbing onto it with both hands. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, looking to the bag curiously. It felt as if there were a collection of small vials in there. What was Bellatrix thinking? Was she trying to convince her to poison herself?

"Take one a day." Bellatrix spoke casually as she stood to her feet, almost as if she were discussing the weather "When I summon you I expect you to bring me the empty vials as proof you've taken them, then I will get them replenished. Understood?"

"What—?"

"I do not want my toy out of bounds for 9 months again." Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the girl, crossing her arms in her annoyance of having to explain herself.

Dora looked up to the woman, confusion mixed with slight relief in her eyes. Did Bellatrix actually care what happened to her? As soon as the thought crossed her mind the woman was upon her, pinning her back to the ground as her wand jabbed into her throat.

"Do not think I care about your pathetic life, Nymphadora Lupin!" Bellatrix snarled, her face lit with fury "I simply do not want the embarrassment of being told I technically have a step child again!" the woman spat in the girls face, disgusted to her core. "And for the record, just because you are _tired_ you do not have the excuse to forget to use Occlumency! I do not want your thoughts yelling out at me. It's pathetic!"

"Do you not even care a single ounce!?" Nymphadora screamed in the woman's face, her hair flashing to a bright red as she was too angry to process the embarrassment of knowing her every thought in that room today had been heard by the witch "Do you not even care that your _husband_ is going to another woman!? To a half-blood!?"

To Nymphadora's surprise, Bellatrix shook her head, a slight smirk making an appearance on her cold lips as she deceivingly gently stroked the stray hair from her niece's face. "You suffered, didn't you? You seem near enough _broken_. My only regret is that he managed to do that to your mind before I could—oh and of course that disgusting piece of filth my husband now calls a daughter." Bellatrix made a face before she got off the girl, shrugging as her usual cold smirk returned to her lips "Maybe I should pay her a visit soon. Elara, isn't it?"

Dora clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, determined not to rise to the bait of Bellatrix's taunts. The elder witch laughed at her victim, still weak on the floor as with a tut of feigned sympathy and shake of her head she left the room, calling out with a laugh behind her "Tell Roddy I say hello!"

It took a few moments for Nymphadora to dare to stand again, it was a slow process that involved more than a few hisses of pain as her body ached from the unknown curse. She knew that Rodolphus would most likely already be with Elara, he had been coming to see her every day and if he had caught wind of Bellatrix taking her away from Elara for any length of time she was sure that Rodolphus would have jumped at the chance to have her on his own. A shudder went through her spine as she reached the prisoner's wing, the girl pausing to build up her strength to be able to face Rodolphus.

When she walked into her room she was unsurprised to see Rodolphus leaning over her daughter's crib, his hand gently stroking Elara's currently bright pink locks. He barely looked to her before returning his gaze to the child, Dora walking over to her bed whilst his back was turned and quickly hiding the potion bag under her bed. She wasn't sure if Rodolphus knew of Bellatrix's intention to give the potions to her, nor what he would do if he found out. Personally, she didn't want to know what his thoughts on her taking the things would be.

"D—Did you feed her?" Dora asked.

"No," Rodolphus rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping in his every syllable "I simply thought that I would allow my newborn daughter to scream and scream until you returned to feed her. Of course I fed her, you idiotic woman."

Dora bit her tongue, trying her hardest not to snap back at the man as she sat down on her bed, watching the man and her daughter from afar. "How long have you been here?"

Rodolphus shrugged, straightening up and turning to face the girl "I came in when you left, I took Elara off of Andromeda and brought her in here to feed her—she seemed sleepy after that."

"Babies do that." Dora said, "Did you wind her?"

"Yes."

"Check her nappy?"

"Nymphadora," Rodolphus narrowed his eyes at the girl, annoyance flickering in his features "do not talk to me like I am an idiot."

"Well," Dora shrugged "Elara is your first child—she's not mine, you've never been alone with her before . . . if I had my way you'd never be alone with her." She muttered the last part under her breath, though from the glare she received from the man it was clearly heard.

"You cannot dictate if I can be alone with my daughter. In fact," Rodolphus smirked as he crossed his arms "I could take her right now and never bring her back to you if I so wished."

"Y—You wouldn't." Dora looked away from the man, staring intently at the small child wriggling in her sleep in the crib "She needs her mother—you couldn't wake with her every few hours, change her every hour or so when she spits up on herself, change her dirty nappies, you couldn't. Besides, Bellatrix would hate that."

"More the reason to do it if it annoys Bellatrix." Rodolphus scoffed before smirking at the girl currently trying to hide the fear from her face as she forced herself to look up at him. "Oh come now Nymphie, you look tense. Why don't you lay down?"

"I'm fine." Dora said. In truth she was exhausted, but there was no way in hell she would willingly lay down with Rodolphus in the room.

"Liar." Rodolphus shook his head as he walked over to her "Maybe I can help you relax."

"Stay away from me." Dora forced herself not to yell, conscious of her daughter fast asleep as she scurried on the bed to try and get away from him. Though he still reached out for her, kneeling onto the bed as he went to grabbed onto the fabric of her dress. It was as Rodolphus missed her dress and grabbed straight onto her arm that her eyes widened in shock. Rodolphus instantly let go of her, screaming in agony as he fell to the floor grasping onto his hand as it turned bright red as if it had been held into the flames of a fire. Her hair shot white as she didn't know what to do, what had she done? She hadn't tried to do anything? She was going to pay for this. It was only as Elara awoke at the sound of her father screaming that Nymphadora snapped back to reality. She leapt from her bed, jumping over the man panting in his pain on the floor as she ran to her daughter. She scooped the crying girl into her arms and held her close, kissing her red and white locks as she tried to shush her.

"What did you do!?" Rodolphus roared, grasping his hand close to him as he pulled himself to his feet, his face brow wet with perspiration.

"Nothing!" Dora cried, wincing at the sound of Elara's cries.

"Give her to me." Rodolphus spoke through gritted teeth, walking towards the girl.

"No." Dora shook her head, bringing the girl as close as she could without harming her. "You're scaring her!"

"I am not." Rodolphus glared though he still winced from the residual pain in his hand even though the colour had returned to near enough normal again. He reached out to try and take the girl, Nymphadora instantly grabbing his arm to try and push him away when it happened again. He yelled in pain, this time stumbling back into the wall as he pursed his lips tightly to muffle the sound of his yell of pain.

"Get out." Dora struggled to sound firm as her voice trembled, confused and scared as she continued to rock the crying baby in her arms. "Just leave."

Rodolphus had never given the girl a glare with quite so much fury behind it before, not since she had tried to kill the baby in her arms when she was still a mere foetus in her womb. He looked from the woman to the crying girl in her arms before he let out a restrained yell of annoyance. "I'll be back!" and with that, he stormed from the room.

Dora stared at the still open doorway, in shock of what had just happened. How had she done that? That was all she could think as she began to pace the room with the crying babe. "Shhh . . . Elara it's okay, he's gone now. Please calm down . . ."

"Dora?" Andromeda walked into the room, looking around in a slight panic at the commotion "Why did Rodolphus storm out? Is Elara okay? He didn't—"

"No." Dora instantly shook her head, tears beginning to build in her eyes again as she kissed her child's head. She was grateful as the girl slowly began to quieten again, walking to sit back onto the bed.

"What happened?" Andromeda asked, ensuring the door was closed behind her.

"I—I don't know." Dora sniffed "He was trying to—He tried t-to grab me. Then he just yelled out and fell to the floor. I didn't do anything, I swear." Dora squeezed her eyes shut, kissing her child's hair again as she clasped onto her mother's hair with her tiny hands.

"It's okay, calm down." Andromeda sighed as she walked over to her daughter. She sat carefully on the bed next to her before wrapping her arm around the girl and kissing her head. "You reek of Bella's magic." Andromeda murmured. "What did she do?"

"I—I don't know." Dora shrugged, staring intently at her daughter's sleepy face "It hurt."

"May I?" Andromeda waited for the girl to nod before placing a hand on the small of her daughters back. After nearly a minute of silence Andromeda winced, pulling her hand away. "You didn't hurt Rodolphus. Bellatrix did."

"W—What?" Nymphadora looked to her mother, confusion in all of her features.

"There's a spell . . ." Andromeda tilted her head thoughtfully as she spoke, a notion that worried her daughter even more "In the simplest of terms it repels a person of the casters choosing—not for long, a few hours, maybe more if the caster is particularly skilled. If the person being repelled touches the person that the spell has been cast on then—well I don't need to tell you what happened."

". . . Why am I only hearing of this spell now?" Dora asked.

"Because you couldn't possibly hope to use it." Andromeda spoke matter-of-factly. "It's an extremely difficult spell. First of all, you must know the magic of the person whom you wish to reject intensely, intimately. Then you must have an extreme desire to cause the . . . repelling effect. I do not know his magic intimately to be able to repel him, it's an extremely painful spell to have performed on you in the first place to be able to expel such pain onto the intended, it is also not a spell that I could even attempt without my own wand—besides it would only make matters worse for you if one of us performed such a spell, it's not exactly a permanent solution. Bellatrix must be truly infuriated by Rodolphus at the moment to want him to come to harm more than you—even if it is only for a moment."

Nymphadora sighed deeply, the unknown spell Bellatrix had placed on her earlier suddenly making sense. She let out a huff of laughter despite herself. "Well, Bellatrix did say to say hello to Rodolphus for her."

"I think he got the message." Andromeda smirked slightly. "I'm sure she's probably waiting in her room ready to laugh at him—or curse him further. Those two do have a . . . _unique_ relationship."

"So I've seen." Dora rolled her eyes, smiling slightly as she looked down to see her daughter had fallen back to sleep. "She's such a good baby . . ."

"You're lucky. You never slept so easily." Andromeda sighed, standing up and holding her arms out for her granddaughter "Come, let me put her in her cot whilst you take a nap. I'll sit in here for a little while if you like."

Dora nodded, muttering her thanks as she handed her daughter over. It felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders as she laid back onto the pillows, knowing that she was guaranteed even a small undisturbed sleep without the worry that Rodolphus could come in any minute. She was sure the poor man was off licking his wounds—or more likely in a hopefully painful argument with Bellatrix. Nymphadora couldn't help but smirk at the thought of Rodolphus in pain again as she slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
